To save the World
by witchlight
Summary: Cross with Tru Calling. Set at the time of the Gift. Who is Tru meant to save? Will she save the right person? What effect will it have on her? Pretty self-explanatory.
1. To save the world

Disclaimer: Neither Buffy the Vampire Slayer nor Tru Calling are mine, I claim no rights to them in any way.  They belong to the writers, producers etc etc.

This was just a kinda spontaneous idea.  It's not set at any particular time because only the first 3 episodes have been aired in England so I don't know a lot of the plot yet. In this chapter the info about the holiday/flight is all very made up and probably doesn't make sense.  The story wont be very long but it starts during the BtVS episode 'The Gift.'

Chapter 1-To save the world.

Tru Davies was sitting in her economy class seat on flight 1132AA that would take her away from the stresses of strains of her hectic life to a blissful holiday on the tiny Island of San Clemente, boy had she earned it.  Each day of normal life seemed to be exhausting between family crises and work at the morgue and when you lived some more than once as Tru did it wasn't surprising that you got worn out after a while.  All that was in the way of ten day's total relaxation were four more hours of flying, if even that long.  Tru was flying out on her own but would be joined in a few days by her best friend Lindsay, as it was though she had to but up with the journey by herself.  The harsh recycled air in the plane was leaving a rank taste in her mouth and the smell of too many people crowded together invaded her nose.  Tru stared blankly at the tiny screen flickering on the back of the seat in front of her as the unshaven, beer-bellied man to her left grunted himself awake from his stupor and the first fork of lightening crossed the sky outside the window to her right.  Suddenly the television picture was obscured by a black and white message proclaiming that the captain wished to make an announcement.  Sure enough the voice of David Hill-your captain ladies and gentlemen for this seven hour American Airlines flight-was booming through the loudspeaker.

            "We appear to be headed into an area of extreme turbulence over southern California.  Please keep your seatbelts fastened whilst the signs are illuminated.  We hope to pass this area within the next half an hour, sorry for the disturbance to your flight."

            As other passengers grumbled to each other Tru watched the darkening sky through her porthole shaped window.  The moon, normally filling the night sky with beauty, was almost blotted out by a black shadow so that the bolts of electricity racing to the ground were made even more formidable by contrast with their background.  The plane rocked precariously from side to side and the cabin lights cut out to preserve power but Tru's face was illuminated intermittently anyway.  As the flashes of light became more frequent the captain's voice was heard once more.

            "We are unable to continue at this altitude and unfortunately I am obliged to make an emergency landing at the nearest airfield.  We are still over California in the near proximity to Los Angeles.  Please keep your seatbelts fastened and I apologise once again for any disturbance this may cause to your journey."

            'Typical' Tru mused.  'Not even a holiday can go to plan,' and she continued to watch the sky as the plane cautiously descended in large circles.  As the ground came nearer Tru could see areas of land that seemed to be missing, holes that seemed instead to be filled with the crackling energy of the lightening forks.  There were a few small areas and one that seemed to be growing in size although Tru couldn't be sure whether this was because of the shrinking distance she was from it or actual growth.  What she couldn't see however was what was causing such a strange phenomenon….

A young girl stood at the top of a tower wearing a ceremonial robe.  Blood seeped through the cloth covering her stomach as a second figure wielded a glinting knife.  Every colour in the world shone off that knife and yet to Dawn, the key to both the world's salvation and its destruction, it was pure, blood red.  As more cuts were made blood dripped onto Dawn's feet and she cried out in pain, gasping her sister's name.  As the sisters were reunited a trickle of freely flowing blood dripped over the edge of the tower and a small sphere of light appeared in mid-air.  As the portal grew and lightening bolts flashed across the sky Dawn stopped and looked at her sister.

            "It's started."  Buffy knew her kid sister was right and remembered what had passed only hours before.

 "If the ritual starts, then every living creature in this and every other dimension imaginable will suffer unbearable torment and death ... including Dawn."  Those words had been spoken by the one man she had believed she could trust, the one who had guided her through the darkest times of her life and had somehow kept her going and yet she couldn't accept them.  Buffy remembered her response,  
            "Then the last thing she'll see is me protecting her."  Her words were received by Giles' disappointed face and his stony cold words.

"You'll fail. You'll die. We all will."

"I'm sorry."  It was all she could say and now, now she didn't know what to do.  She had tried to protect her sister, with every fibre of her being she had fought.  She had pounded Glory with all the strength she had, done everything short of killing a person because that was the line she had drawn for herself, a line that whatever the cost could not be crossed, even if the price was the world.  Yet Dawn was echoing her words.

"I'm sorry." She said her eyes full of tears as she hugged Buffy and all Buffy could say was,

"It doesn't matter."  Of all the situations the slayer had faced, of all heartrending circumstances and decisions this was the most traumatic, the nightmare she had been forced to face in dreams and reality.  Yet as Dawn tried to run past her Buffy knew that she would stand by her sister, by her words from earlier.  There was no way Dawn was dying while there was still breath in her body.  She pulled Dawn close to her and whispered, "I'm not letting you go Dawn.  I love you."  Dawn's response would forever surprise Buffy, it displayed the wisdom and understanding she had never credited the young girl with.

"I know you do, that's why I have to jump.  The energy.  Buffy I know about the ritual.  I have to stop it.  Look what's happening."  Even as Buffy protested a huge dragon flew out of the portal flying away from the tower.  "Buffy, you have to let me go. Blood starts it, and until the blood stops flowing, it'll never stop."  The sisters stared at each other, Buffy with anguish in her eyes and Dawn with desperation and fear.  "You know you have to let me. It has to have the blood."  With that the young girl ran to the edge of the tower and jumped.  Before she jumped however Dawn paused, only for a fraction of a second but long enough for Buffy to reach her.  As Dawn's body fell through the air Buffy lunged and grabbed her by her fingertips.  Time froze for a moment, the battle below was halted and the Scoobies stared in horror at the top of the tower where Dawn dangled fifty metres from certain death and all the while the pulsing light of the portal grew.

"Dawn." Buffy cried desperation in her voice as she struggled to hold onto her sister.  "Please, climb up, you don't have to.  Dawn you don't have to.  Please Dawn, I love you."  

"I love you Buffy."  Dawn sobbed, terrified.

On the ground the small crowd watched, not knowing how to express the multitude of emotions in their hearts, as Buffy hauled Dawn to the edge of the tower again. For a moment it seemed both girls were safe then the watchers' hearts, still pulsing with fear, love and confusion, reached their mouths as a figure plummeted to the ground.

Tru hailed a yellow cab just outside the tiny aerodrome.

"Where can you get me for a twenty?" She asked the driver.

"Sunnydale." Was the reply.  "S'the nearest town.  Hop in."  So Tru found herself, not in the beautiful surroundings of a golden beach but driving through an area of California that looked like a nuclear war zone.  The pools of light had faded and dawn had begun to break as her plane touched down but the sun had only served to illuminate the cracks in the roads and the buildings along them.  There were many sites of destruction but one in particular caught Tru's eye.  A small crowd of people was walking away from a tower that looked as if it might fall over at any moment.  An older man was carrying a limp figure and Tru could tell that the person was not limp with exhaustion.  As the taxi drove away from the small group Tru twisted her head to look back at them.  Just before their faces became obscured by distance she saw the limp figure's head snap towards her, she saw for an instant a beautiful face, deathly pale, and even though she couldn't hear the words spoken she knew the plea the moving lips were making.

"Help Me"  

Please let me know if this is worth continuing 'cos I'm seriously too busy to continue if no one's gonna read it.  


	2. Over again

Yay people liked the story! Wahoo! Thank you thank you to the 17 wonderful, amazing ppl who reviewed!

Sara: There's gonna be almost two halves to this story. Faith isn't going to show up for the first one at least.

Moonluck:Yup, not got very far yet, 4 eps now so I really am half blind on the Tru Calling front.

Sabia:Faith looky like coming up…

Vampyr Moon: You're about to find out who jumped.

Thank you to Sam-453 for help with this and stick around to read her cross over of BTVS and Tru Calling which will hopefully be coming soon. BTW Sam i took your advice and changed this chapter slightly.

Over again

Tru's alarm clock beeped and she rolled over to hit snooze, groaning as she saw the clock flashing 9:00.

"I should not be up this early on holiday," Tru muttered a split second before realising that nor should she be in her own bed. Just to make sure, Tru opened her eyes fully and the sight of her bedroom confirmed that she was definitely not on holiday. "Crap." Tru exclaimed, knowing what had happened. In the next instant a million images flashed through her head; bolts of lightening, pools of blue energy, a rickety tower and a small band of people. There was a dark haired man carrying a woman in his arms, a look of surprising tenderness on his face, a figure cloaked in a long black coat held over its head as if shutting out the world, a red-haired girl, crying bitterly and holding onto a brunette as if she might collapse without support but these were not the clearest images. A tiny blonde figure walked alone looking as if the world had fallen from beneath her feet. Though Tru had been too far away to see her clearly she could sense fragility, as if the slightest contact would merge two worlds throwing everything into chaos. An older man was among the group, he had been carrying another girl, the girl whose ghostly pale face had turned beseechingly to Tru.

Tru sat bolt upright, the words of the girl's plea ringing in her ears, she could not have been more than a teenager, still a child really, and Tru knew what would have to be done. Moments later she was on the 'phone to American Airlines.

"I need to alter my flight…San Clemente…Sunnydale…You can't alter it? That doesn't matter. When's the next flight to Sunnydale?…No earlier?…No…ok…one ticket…how much?…I guess it'll have to do…Thanks for your help."

From then on the day was a blur. At some point Tru packed but it seemed barely any time before she was boarding her flight, this time directly to Sunnydale. The sounds and smells of the 'plane were over familiar and Tru was aware of just what lengths she was going to in order to save this girls' life. She was flying across the entirety of North America for a girl she had never met, paying a ridiculous amount of money for her 'plane ticket and she didn't even know if she would be able to help. It wasn't the first time Tru had questioned what extent she was willing to go to in order to save someone, she didn't usually come to an answer,but sitting on flight 1092AA with Richard Myers-your Captain for this American Airlines flight to Sunnydale, California, Tru knew that for the girl she would go all the way, whether it would work she didn't know. Tru knew she had the ability to relive days in order to save people but it wasn't always as clear-cut as she expected. Nick had died despite all she did to try and save him, the five murdered men whose lives had not ended were going to prison…who knew whether she would even reach the girl before she died, for all Tru knew she could be dead already. 

At that moment the girl was not dead although she was in great danger. Dawn was in the company of alternately Glory, the Hell god, and Ben, the nurse along with Glory's scabby minions. She was quite plainly terrified although there was a spark of faith in her that kept hope alive. Glory was trying to wear it away, talking to Dawn as if there was nothing to hope for, as if destroying the world would do everyone a favour but Dawn was adamant in her own mind that the world was worth saving, that tough as it got people would take what life threw at them for as long as they could.

"How do they do it?" Glory asked. "People! How do they function here like this in this world with all this bile running through them? You have no control. People are puppets! Everyone getting jerked around by what they're feelin'. Am I wrong?…gonna bleed you either way."

"Depends on the person Dawn answered sullenly knowing that there were people, like Glory said, who couldn't face the trials of their emotions but sure of the fact that there were those too who used love, hate, fear, anger to build strength behind their cause and fight for it.

"Buffy." Dawn said firmly, her faith in her sister unbroken, knowing beyond anything she had ever known that Buffy's emotions would be channelled into fighting, into taking what the world threw at her and giving even more back. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately for it would have killed the girl's hope, she did not know that Buffy was at that moment staring into space, locked in a world where which kept repeating…repeating the sequence of Dawn's death.

Tru landed in Sunnydale and hailed a cab instructing the driver to take her to the aerodrome just outside the town. He was surprised but headed in that direction trying to strike up a conversation with Tru about what brought her to Sunnydale.

"It's a strange little town. Not really somewhere many people think to come visit, sometimes I think people avoid it, wouldn't blame them." Tru was vaguely listening but was more focussed on looking out the window for…

"Stop." She said suddenly and the cab driver slammed on his brakes screeching to a halt.

"Geez, what the hell was that about?"

"Can you wait here for a minute?" Tru asked looking at the tower just to her left.

"No way miss, you crazy? You wanna get out here and you're on your own."

"Whatever." Tru said distantly slapping down a note and sliding out the car. In a daze she crossed the road that was almost bare of traffic and headed straight for the unstable contraption that rose up in front of her. "Not exactly the Eiffel Tower." She muttered to herself, the "First sign of madness talking to yourself." Tru looked around and realised that no matter how much she talked to herself she wasn't close to madness, a small army of people was bustling around the base of the tower and they were most definitely crazier than her.

"Time, nearly time." Several of them murmured.

"Things to do, things to do."

"Build, build."  
"All dark, all dark."

"The cab driver wasn't kidding when he said this town was strange." Tru headed towards the base of the tower, the crazy army, dressed in an assortment of regular clothes and hospital gowns, ignoring her. She looked up from the concrete slab below her feet to the tiny platform above and stared at the distance. "Girl shoulda used a bungee rope from this height" Tru remarked to herself pulling out her mobile and dialling the number of the morgue. "Hey Davis.."

"Please press one for obscure chemical facts, two for information about a corpse or three for a direct link to the encyclopaedia." Davis' voice said on the other end.

"Uh I'll take two, listen if someone fell from about a hundred metres onto concrete…they're gonna be pretty smashed up right?"

"Not necessarily from the outside. Depends on the fall but it's possible for almost every bone in the body to shatter on impact and yet the person looks perfectly normal. Corpses don't get bruises."

"So she could have fallen, or jumped maybe…but then why would she ask me for help?"

"Tru is this another of your rigmaroles 'cause I have work to do." Davis said snippily and Tru realised she had been talking out loud.

"Uh yeah, sure, thanks, you go back to slicing and dicing." Tru hung up hoping that he never saw the body of the girl who was still a complete stranger. "School." Tru said suddenly. "She has to go to school." So Tru headed back into Sunnydale and towards Sunnydale Junior High. "Nancy Drew would be so proud," Tru quipped thinking of the fictional detective's sleuthing methods and headed into the school. She began wandering the halls and ended up in a kind of entrance hall with trophies in glass cabinets and pictures on the walls. "Handy." Tru said and began searching through the hundreds of faces to find the one who would hopefully not die quite yet. "Dawn Summers" Tru read from the caption of a set of pictures, "This is not your time."

"Who are you?" An unfamiliar voice asked Tru and she spun around, just avoiding hitting a glass door with her bag.

"Uh…"  
"What are you doing here?"

"Came to see my little cus. She comes to school here and I just thought I'd wander around. Figured she'd be done with lessons real soon and I could just wait for her right here."

"Interesting," the formidable looking man said dryly. "Whose your cousin?"

"Dawn Summers."

"Dawn's not in school today, do you have a pass?" Tru shook her head. "Schools are not open to the public, go to the main office and get a pass or please leave." Tru did the latter reluctantly but knowing that she wouldn't get permission to stay.

"Why do I always get kicked out of places for trying to save people" she muttered standing just outside the school gates. "Still, got a name, now I just need a whereabouts." A half hour later Tru was still standing outside the gates although suspicious looks had forced her to move around a bit during that time. Slowly at first but with increasing speed and volume waves of kids began to flood from the school doors. Tru grabbed at a random kid who looked about fifteen. "Hey, do you know Dawn Summers?" The kid shook his head looking scared and Tru let go of his jacket. She tried a couple more with no luck, then on her fourth try Tru got lucky. "Do you know Dawn Summers?" she asked a guy wearing a jacket that labelled him a jock. The guy looked her up and down in an appraising way that disturbed Tru, since it was coming from a pre-High School kid.

"Sure, weird girl, bit psycho."

"Do you know where I could find her?"

"Why?" the jock asked suspiciously.

"Old family friend, haven't seen her since she was little, wanted to pop by." Tru said praying the kid was easy to fleece. 

"Tell ya for a kiss."

"Uh tell me first." Tru said again hoping the kid was as thick as he seemed.

"People say she hangs out at the Magic Shop in town."

"The Magic Shop?" Tru repeated, eyebrows raised. 

"Called the Magic Box. Told ya she was weird. Now how 'bout the kiss?"

The Magic box's bell jangled as Buffy pushed the door open. Giles came into the front of the shop to see her walk in ahead of Willow, Tara and Anya. They sat down at a table and Buffy started off the conversation after no reference to her recent catatonic state other than confirming with Xander that she was ok.

"Hear you found the ritual text." Buffy stated and the others looked shifty.

"Uh something like that, yes." Giles confirmed without giving any specifics. The conversation that followed was awkward to say the least as Giles haltingly confirmed that Glory, by shedding Dawn's blood at a certain time and place, would open a portal causing dimensional barriers to rip apart, destroying reality and bring chaos on earth.

"So how do we stop it?" Buffy asked, unaware of how drastically the reply would change everything, how the earth's rotation would seem to stop and the strength she was cursed with tould vanish with Giles' words.

"The portal will only close once the blood is stopped…and the only way for that to happen is, um…Buffy the only way is to kill Dawn." Giles looked at Buffy's young face, the face of the person he had nurtured for five years and felt as if he had never met her. The look on Buffy's face was firmer than any expression she had worn when facing the master, steelier than when she had faced the council, infiltrated with more pain than when she killed Angel and more determination than when she had set out to kill Faith.

The tinkling bell broke the moment but not before the bond of understanding between watcher and Slayer was shattered. A girl of about Buffy's age with dark wavy hair, stood in the doorway looking curiously at the group inside as if fitting their faces to an image she knew. Buffy stood up and crossed the shop floor to the door with firm strides. In the blink of an eye she pulled back her fist and socked the girl straight in the face.

"Not today." She said and walked straight out the door. Xander stared open-mouthed at the girl, the expression on his face mirrored closely on Willow, Anya and Giles' faces. Spike looked blank until Xander murmered,

"Faith."

"So that's the rogue 'un." Spike said staring at Tru, sprawled on the floor.

Tru was seriously confused. Her 'gift', 'job', 'purpose'-whatever you wanted to call it- had got her some very strange reactions but this, this was just bizarre. She was sure this was the group of people she had seen…today. The blonde who had just smacked her in the face was definitely the one who had been so shell-shocked and the man now talking had been carrying the (not yet) dead girl.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Giles asked, his voice low. Before Tru had a chance to answer Xander spoke up.

"Well I'm putting money on trying to kill us."

"What? No. I'm here to help…to save someone."

"Yeah. Is that before or after you kill the rest of us?"

"I don't even know you, why would I kill you?" Tru protested.

"Sure you don't." Anya piped up. "I guess you don't remember the Mayor either, or being Buffy, or…Willow help me out here."

"Or killing the deputy Mayor, or trying to change Angel, or holding me hostage…" Willow would have continued but Giles interrupted.

"I think Faith gets the message. She's not welcome here." Tru's mouth was open, far from getting the picture she was becoming more and more confused.

"Who's Faith?"

"Now that is a new one for you." A voice said from behind Tru. "Usually your disguise is a little more hi-tech than denial." Tru turned around to see the blonde girl who had left moments earlier. She backed away, moving further into the shop. "Now d'you want to tell us how you got your murderous backside out of prison?" Buffy demanded walking threateningly towards Tru.

"Prison?" Tru gaped at Buffy.

"Yeah you know place you're locked up behind bars when you kill people, guards, bunk in a little cell, twenty-five to life sentence? You can't have been let out already." Xander said still very shocked at seeing Faith. Buffy gripped Tru's arms very hard.

"We can find out any way you like…as long as it hurts…you that is." Buffy said in a friendly voice.

"Look I don't know what the hell is happening here but Dawn's in trouble." Tru said, plainly petrified.

"Tell us something we don't know." Buffy muttered rolling her eyes. Tru's eyes widened in surprise.

"You know?"

"More than you think." Giles said wearily sinking into a seat then standing up again when he realised exactly what was going on. He started inching towards the counter where a stack of weapons was hidden but caught Xander's eye and realised he had a sword behind his back. Tru looked around at the suspicious faces in front of her.

"How do you know about Dawn?" Tru asked.

"Oh I don't know, could be the Hell god having kidnapped her." Xander said in a voice rich with sarcasm, causing Giles to hiss his name with irritation. 

"Question is, how do you know?" Buffy asked from behind Tru, standing aggressively with her arms crossed and her head tilted to the side.

"You wouldn't believe me."

"Try us, you'd be surprised how much we believe." Buffy said still keeping her eyes on Tru's face.

"Today already happened. I hear dead people ask for help on the day they died and I relive the day…to help them, to stop them dying." Tru said looking at the ground, knowing that she was risking the whole group believing her to be insane, still the magic shop and talk of a Hell god made her think maybe she would be sane in the strange world of Sunnydale occupants.

"Ok, that's a little beyond what I believe." Anya said. "Anyone else?" Buffy nodded.

"Faith, re-living days to save people, just a little unbelievable. Faith re-living days to come back and kill us maybe." Tru looked carefully at Buffy.

"Look I don't know what I have to say to convince you but I'm not this Faith person and I'm not a murderer. I've never met you guys and if it was up to me I wouldn't even be here. I didn't choose to hear some strange little dead girl ask for help."

"Dawn is not dead." Willow stated carefully, needing to reassure Buffy of that fact. "And she would never ask for your help."

"Whatever." Tru said and brushed past Buffy, out of the shop. "Dawn's in trouble and it's my job to save her." Buffy was too shocked to try and stop her, wondering whether she was right before, wondering whether she had killed her sister.

Three people murmured to themselves as Tru walked away.

"No, it's my job." Buffy whispered. "It's my destiny."

"Dawnie died today." Xander realised out loud but Spike's was the biggest surprise.

"So the bird's story was true."

Hope you liked it! Let me know! Is it going in the direction ppl thought? Right direction?Pleeeeeeeease review!


	3. Tru Faith

Wish I owned BTVS or Tru Calling but they are the property of genii and I don't fall into that category…sigh.

Angel of Slytherin: Glad you liked it so much. I'll look out for your story!

Enjael: The comments were meant to be ambiguous. They will be explained.

Sabia: I know there's Faith issues but I do have an idea of how to get round that, I realised they wouldn't just believe her.

Everyone else: Thank you so much for the positive reviews they really mean a lot to me. Please carry on asking questions, I will try and answer them. Thank you especially to Sam-453 who is forever the biggest help when writing stories!

The end bit of this chapter is taken almost exactly from the gift, quite a lot of the next couple of chapters will be as well…if I ever get round to writing them.

Tru Faith (ok it's a crppy title I know)

"What?" asked several voices simultaneously as everyone turned to look at Spike, Xander's words swallowed up in the surprise.

"Bird was telling the truth." Spike said and Giles sighed with irritation common when dealing with Spike.

"If you are planning to elaborate any time soon would you get on with it."

"Bloody hell talk about impatience." Spike retorted knowing how much he could wind up his fellow Brit.

"Something about seeing Faith makes me a little anxious now get on with your bloody story." Giles snapped.

"Well I don't know for sure, not having met the girl myself but since the rest of her story could be true maybe she's not Faith."

"That was Faith." Xander said, very sure of that fact.

"I'm with Xander." Anya said raising her hand,

"Me too." Willow offered and even Giles breached his usually impeccable code of grammar to say,

"Me three." He then continued however in a much more Giles-like fashion. "That nevertheless does not explain her story. Firstly she should be in prison, secondly distortion of time is a very serious matter and not something I am comfortable with being in the power of…well Faith. Theoretically time distortion is only available through the Powers that Be."

"I dunno about that but I heard the tale before. Bird tried to warn me 'bout Dru the day she sired me. Said I was going to die, that she'd seen me dead, with blood draining from my neck and that she'd been given the chance to come back and save me, still not sure why. Anyway I thought the girl was being a right pompous twat and I told her she was talking crap. Shouldn't a done that really 'cos I obviously died as evidenced by the lack of a pulse and she did too. Dru got her when she was trying to save me." Spike actually condescended to look a little sad about the death of the strange girl but Buffy moved briskly on with the conversation.

"Ok so even if we believe the story, which I don't think I do, why would the Powers that Be give Faith that ability?" Buffy asked.

"Honestly, I have no idea. There are few people I would trust to relive a day and even fewer who still breathe out of necessity. I would suggest that maybe it is some sort of redemption, saving lives could help balance out her crimes although we all know that is impossible and how on earth she got out of prison I just don't know." Giles wearily began cleaning his glasses as Spike said irritably,

"Maybe she's not Faith!"

"Spike Xander's judgement is seriously good in that department, trust him when he says its Faith." Buffy remarked.

"According to you lot if she was Faith she'd have attacked you before opening her mouth, I didn't see any attacking." Spike retorted.

"Angel said she's changed, said she was willing to go to prison, to be punished for what she'd done, maybe he was right. Maybe she did come to help us." Buffy suggested but it was only a theory, she didn't really believe it.

"Which makes it even more strange that she's not all locked up." Willow pointed out.

"Yeah see red gets it. Maybe she's not Faith." Spike said yet again.

"No, no, I think we have to assume it is Faith even if she has some sort of amnesia." Giles said to contradict the blond vampire.

"Maybe she's done another body swap." Anya suggested. "You know, like she did with Buffy."

"That was Faith driving?" Spike exclaimed but everyone ignored him not knowing exactly how Faith had spoke to him whilst wearing Buffy's skin. (Spike however wasn't likely to forget.)

"I think that is highly unlikely, if Faith is seeking redemption I doubt she would use dark magicks." Giles said pensively.

"Unless someone else did it to her." Buffy suggested. "Slayer speed, strength, healing…imagine what someone evil could do with them."

"Uh Buffy we don't need to imagine. We saw what Faith did." Willow reminded the slayer. "If only we could tell for sure whether she has swapped bodies." Tara's head snapped up from Willow's shoulder where it had been lolling.

"Whole. All whole, not switched," the witch murmured and though it sounded like yet more nonsense Willow realised what Tara meant.

"There hasn't been a body swap. Remember how Tara knew it wasn't Buffy when she met her because her aura was all fragmented, like it didn't fit. She's saying Faith's fits. It must be Faith."

"It bloody well does not have to be." Spike snapped. "Why don't all you brainiacs go and ring the prison if you don't believe me, or ring soul boy 'cause he'd know if she's out." Everyone looked at Spike as if he had just discovered electricity. "Well it's not that hard is it?" he snorted turning away in disgust.

_Meanwhile…_

Tru had left the Magic box completely bewildered. Not only had she been knocked to the floor by a girl who didn't look strong enough to snap a chopstick but she had been mistaken for an escaped murderer. Everything was just getting weirder and weirder, first the crazy people around the tower, then being called Faith, and talk of a hell god…things just weren't adding up. Tru wandered around Sunnydale without any idea of what to do. It was one thing to chase around after a stranger in your home city but quite another to be on the other side of the continent doing that. Tru considered checking into a hotel but decided against it knowing that whether she saved Dawn or not she could be on the next flight out of Sunnydale in the morning. She stopped in a coffee shop to have a rest and a think, not forgetting a double helping of caffeine. Sitting in the cozy shop with the familiar smell of coffee beans Tru wondered, not for the first time, how the hell she was going to save Dawn when she didn't even know for sure how she had died. Tru was guessing that she had fallen from the top of the crazy tower but didn't know why she was up there in the first place, if she had jumped or was pushed. 'Perhaps the hell god's palace is at the top," Tru joked to herself laughing at the very thought. Depressed by the hopelessness of her task Tru decided spontaneously to ask the guy filling her coffee mug for help.

"Hey, do you know where I could find Dawn Summers?" Tru reasoned that even if the guy thought her completely mad she wouldn't be any worse off. The guy merely looked a little surprised and Tru noticed that his eyes, which widened expressively, were a gorgeous shade of blue.

"No idea. What d'you want with her? Are you sure you don't mean Buffy Summers?" Tru looked at him carefully, not expecting the last question.

"Why Buffy Summers?"

"Just figured she was more your age, Dawn's just a kid."

"Yeah I know." Tru said looking him straight in the eyes. "So d'you know where she is?"

"I guess she could be at home, school's out but otherwise I've no idea."

"You wouldn't happen to know where home is would you?" Tru asked tipping her head flirtatiously.

"Now how do I know you're not some creepy kind of…I don't know…kidnapper?" Tru laughed outright at that.

"Do I look like some kind of kidnapper to you?" She held out her hand. "I'm Tru by the way."

"Dan."

A little while later Tru was headed towards the Magic Box once again having established that no one was at the Summers' house. She was growing very curious about the sisters, wondering how they knew the other members of that little group from-especially the two Englishmen. Mostly though she was wondering what kind of trouble Dawn was in and how she would be able to get her out of it. All Dan had been able to tell her was that the sisters seemed nice enough although there were many stories about them around town, mostly from Buffy's high school classmates, and that there was probably some foundation for them because nice as they were there was something strange about the Summers girls. Tru had asked Dan if he knew anyone called Faith but that had been a dead end, he recognised the name but nothing more. So Tru had followed his directions to the empty house (minus her bag which she had left behind the counter in the coffee shop) and from there decided her only hope of finding out more was to go back to the strange group, the people who had rejected her story. It had taken guts to tell them the truth, she had truly thought that they would believe her, the red head, Willow she had been called had looked kind, the older man looked sterner but the dark haired man…Tru didn't know what it was about him but she had thought he would believe her. Instead he had accused her of wanting to kill them, she desperately wanted to set that straight and was prepared to go back and face them in order to do so…for Dawn's sake.

As Tru rounded a corner a figure jumped out in front of her. It seemed human on a first glance but its face was grossly distorted and fangs prominently extended in place of canines. Instinctively Tru turned and ran as fast as she could away from the vampire. She ran through small back streets and alleyways until she turned into one that was a dead end with a pile of wooden crates stacked up against a solid brick wall. She twisted around slowly and fearfully to see the large vampire loom over her. She backed into a corner, mouth open but no sound coming out.

"Gave me a pretty good run there. Bet the blood's just pumpin'." The vampre said with a smile. "Bet it's hot."

"Don't hurt me." Tru choked genuinely terrified.

"Don't hurt you?" The vampire laughed and a door behind him crashed open.

"Hey what's going on?" Buffy asked innocently from the doorway.

"Help me! Call the police!" Tru called but Buffy stood still knowing she was better than the police.

"Get outta here girl." The vamp called to Buffy, concentrated on Tru's cowering form.

"You guys having a fight? 'Cause you know, fighting's not cool." Buffy quipped in her ditziest manner.

"Get out of here." Tru shouted as the vampire growled at Buffy.

"No." He said turning to face Buffy fully. "No, she wants to stay. I don't mind a little appitizer."

Buffy walked towards the vampire with a small frown. "Have you ever heard the expression, 'biting off more than you can chew'?" She asked still innocently. At the vampire's shaking head she continued, "Okay. Um…how about the expression, 'vampire slayer'?"  
"What the hell you talkin' about?"

Buffy was surprised, usually with vampires the word slayer was like a starter gun and they'd either run straight for her or as far away as possible which, when she had a crossbow, wasn't generally very far. "Wow. Never heard that one. Okay. How about, 'Oh g-d, my leg, my leg'?" The vampire growled again and lunged at Buffy. She ducked and punched him in the face then kicked his leg so that his knee buckled and he fell to the ground.

"Oh g-d! My leg! Uhh…"

"See? Now we're communicating." Buffy said smiling as he reiterated her earlier words. Suddenly the vampire got up off the ground and threw Buffy against the wall. He grabbed at her but she pushed his arms away, punched him in the face again, kneed him where it hurts and then kicked him into the wall from behind. From against a dumpster the vampire backhanded Buffy so that she stumbled towards Tru who dodged out the way. The fight continued as the vampire gained the upper hand, slamming Buffy onto a second dumpster. Tru watched, still frightened but amazed as well as Buffy cart wheeled off the dumpster and kicked the vampire into the pile of wooden crates. As they shattered Buffy caught a splinter flying towards her and staked the vampire. Tru's face was a picture as the vampire dusted. She continued to stare, still with fear as Buffy looked at the pile of dust and muttered,

"Wow. Been a long while since I met one who didn't know me." Buffy began walking towards the door she came out of but Tru called to her,

"H-how'd you do that?" Buffy stopped and turned around.

"Guess you're really not Faith then are you?"

Hope you liked. Please review! Specially 'cos I have exams starting in 1 week and I really need to know if ppl want the next chapter soon 'cos I won't have a lot of free time to write it.


	4. Not her time

Thank you for reviews! It really means a lot to me to know what you guys think!  And its so fun to get reviews so people who reviewed-you rock!

Kick a warrior woman: Valid point 'cept Spike has never met Faith (As in the real Faith in Faith's body) so he wouldn't be able to tell that Tru wasn't her.

Allan Pitt: It's funny you should talk about the Bring it on crossover 'cos my friend wrote that one.  It's not actually going to be twins separated at birth, to be honest the Faith/Tru look alike thing was just fun it's not crucial to the point of the story, just to the story bit of it (if that makes sense).  Also I was actually going to have lots of repeats but you'll have to wait and see what I do!

A/N: As I gradually see more Tru Calling episodes (stupid England being so far behind) I realise a few things that I've kind of ignored like Luc and Davis knowing about Tru.  Please excuse this on the grounds that I started the story after only 3 episodes before either happened.

            Buffy turned around again and had nearly reached the doorway when Tru found her voice.

            "What caused the change of heart?" She called, getting shakily to her feet.  Buffy didn't pause but called back,

            "Faith wouldn't have run."

            Tru hurried after Buffy.

            "Why didn't you run?  How'd you do that?"

            "It's what I do." Tru reached Buffy's retreating form and stood in front of her.

            "But you're just like me.  You're just a normal girl."  Buffy was forced to stop and looked carefully into Tru's face seeing just how similar every feature was to a girl so different.

            "That's what I keep saying." The impossibility of it all hit Buffy full on.  The one wish she had made more than any other, the wish that only a few people knew about, was one that would never come true.  Sometimes it was easier just to pretend, to do the things normal girls did but the world would never allow that for long, it always had a way to remind Buffy of just how abnormal she would always be and just how screwed up her life was as a result.  Dawn was just one more reminder, just another apocalypse to test her, just another loved one whose life or death could save or destroy the world.  Buffy gave Tru a small rueful smile.  "Doesn't mean it's true."  Tru was struck by Buffy's choice of word but also by the depth that was evident in the eyes looking at her so intensely.

            "Let me help you.  Please." Tru pleaded knowing within her that out of any calling she had had so far this was the one where her need to help was greatest.

            "You can't.  You're not involved in this, you have no idea what's going on and believe me you don't want to know."

            "Now hold up one minute." Tru said standing in a pose that was not aggressive but was unyielding.  "I flew across the continent to be here.  I am involved and I really do want to know what's going on.  I'm different.  I can help."  Buffy looked scrutinisingly at Tru in a manner that was incomprehensible to the dark haired girl.

            "You'd better come inside then." The slayer said leading Tru to the door she had appeared out of like the figure of Tru's salvation.

            Inside was a room that looked as if it was built for fighting.  A punch bag was suspended from the ceiling and as Buffy walked past she hit it with such force that the heavy canvas sac swung back hard towards Tru. She caught it with both hands yet still staggered backwards and looked at the petite blonde girl with wide-eyed amazement, not understanding where such strength had come from.  They emerged into the Magic Box, Tru a few steps behind Buffy as she paused to look at the display of weaponry on the wall of the fighting room.  As Tru stepped out of the doorway behind the shop counter the older man replaced the telephone and was talking to Buffy.

            "That was the prison." He said carefully cleaning his glasses.  "She's err"

            "Not Faith." Buffy interrupted to everyone's surprise.  "I know."

            "H-how?" the bespectacled man stammered with a curious frown, unable to understand how Buffy knew.

            "Vampire." The Slayer replied by way of an explanation.

            "Oh." Was the collective sigh from most occupants of the room then frowns creased the foreheads of all the listeners bar Tara and Spike so Buffy elaborated.

            "She was running.  Faith would have fought." The frowns passed collectively to Tru who looked at Buffy.

            "That was a vampire?"

            "Running.  Faith would have fought.  Faith would know a vampire.  Yes because Faith's a slayer.  She's not Faith." Anya contributed in typical fashion as Tru stared harder.

            "Uh can I suggest that since the young lady is indeed not Faith we have some proper introductions."  Giles said firmly crossing his arms.

            "Right.  Trust the British guy to want the politeness." Xander commented but to his surprise Anya cut him off.

            "No I think introductions are a good thing."

            "Yeah." Spike agreed.  "That way if we kill her we know what to put on the gravestone."

            "Spike." Buffy warned and turned to Tru.  "I'm Buffy.  This is Willow," Willow gave a little wave,  "and Tara," Tara stared blankly at Tru whilst unconsciously fiddling with Willow's hair, "and Giles."  Buffy was just building up a flow when Spike cut into her introductions.

            "Might be more useful this way.  She's the Vampire slayer." Spike indicated Buffy.  "He's the geezer who does the training and the research and stuff."

            "I believe watcher is the term most fitting." Giles said irritably but Spike continued.

            "She's a witch, she's a witch when she's in her right mind, she's an ex-demon, he's human and I'm a Vampire" he finished then looked smugly at Buffy.  "See not so hard.  Now you are?" He turned to Tru."

            "I'm Tru."

            "My kind of introduction luv." Spike said lighting a cigarette.  "The useful kind."

            "I…Dead people ask me for help and I relive days to save them." Tru put it bluntly, leaving out all the grief and troubles it caused her. 

            "You're gonna get a lot of business round here." Spike commented and Buffy, Willow and Xander nodded.

            "Why?  What's so special about Sunnydale? Who are you people?  What's a Slayer?  Vampires?  What are you on?"  Tru was learning more which was a step in the right direction but it was leaving her more confused.  To her surprise it was Xander who let out a wry laugh.

            "Of course.  Let's just explain everything we possibly tried to keep secret to the next psycho girl who walks in the door shall we?  How bout it Spike?"

            "Xander do shut up." Giles snapped, his curiosity about Tru mounting.

            "What if she's a robot?" Xander countered.  "Hadn't thought of that now had you?  What If she's a Faith-bot?" Spike walked over to Tru and drew a nail down her forearm.  Drops of blood welled up though Tru barely winced and Spike then walked over to Xander, slapped him about the head and said,

            "She's human.  Like you.  Now shut up."  Xander did so and sat mutinously in his chair as Tru explained that she had flown to California to help Dawn.

            "How did you know Dawn was in trouble?" Buffy asked Tru but before she got a chance to answer Xander stood up.

            "Dawnie died today." He said and the faces of everyone in the room turned to stare at him.

            "Yeah." Tru said looking with surprise at Xander who had seemed to change his mind about her with the speed of lightening.  "How did you" but Willow cut her off, very aware of Buffy's fragile state of mind since her catatonic state.

            "No, no, Dawn's not dead."

            "Not now, but she was." Xander replied looking at Tru for confirmation.  " I saw her, lying on the ground and then we were walking and then it was today…again.  I'm just plum crazy aren't I."

            "I'm not disagreeing with the boy." Spike said holding his hands up, palms forward.

            "You're not crazy." Tru said softly to Xander.  "You saw the day again too.  I didn't know anyone else could…any more."

            "What so no one else knows about these days.  Everyone just wakes up and thinks they're carrying on their lives but actually they've gone backwards? You're the only person in the whole world who knows?"

            "I guess.  I mean there's a couple of people who know but only 'cause I told them.  I don't know if Harrison really believes me but he knows and…"

            "Harrison?" Buffy interrupted but Giles looked at her with a glance that said plainly 'let her carry on with the story.'

            "My brother.  I told him when I first found out, when I thought I was going crazy.  Davis knows too.  He works at the morgue with me."

            "She works at a morgue, hey she'll fit right in with the graveyard crew." Xander joked but without his usual grin, he was more inclined to take Tru seriously now.

            "Graveyard?  I don't understand, what's the Slayer and how can you be a vampire?" Tru asked.

            "As long as there have been vampires, there has been the Slayer.  One girl in all the world" Giles began as he had so many years ago but Buffy, as she did last time, interrupted him.

"He loves doing this part."  
            "All right.  They hunt vampires, one slayer dies, the next is called.  Buffy is the Slayer, please try to keep it quiet.  Is that enough?"

"Not really." Tru said struggling to absorb this information, "But I guess it'll have to do.  So you have like super strength or something?"

"Pretty much.  Strength, speed, vision, healing, bloody clothes, complete lack of time.  All part of the job description really."  Buffy answered with just a touch of a sarcastic smile at her lips.

"Explains the fight out there then.  So who's Faith?"

            "Faith, " Giles began slowly, "Is the other Slayer."

            "The other…I thought you said there was only one?" Tru questioned with a frown.  "One girl, another one when she dies.  Isn't that what you said."

            "I died." Buffy said simply then more slowly "and I was replaced.  Then I was brought back.  Xander saved me but there was another Slayer.  She died and we got Faith."

            "So why's the Slayer in prison then?  I mean if you're the good guys, fighting vampires and stuff then why lock her away?"

            "Faith had a bit of an evil spell, you heard what she did when we thought you did them." Xander explained.  "She decided it was best if she was locked away, punished so she could be redeemed.  She's just a touchy kind of subject, always has been really."

            "So do we really look that alike?"

            "Oh yeah" Was the simultaneous reply from Buffy, Willow and Xander.

            "Ok, guess that answers that.  So moving on, what're we going to do about Dawn?  What's the deal?"

            Buffy sighed heavily and briefly explained about the key and Glory finding it much easier to talk about it in a detached, third party sort of way.  Tru listened open mouthed as the secrets of this whole world she never knew were divulged to her.  "We have to stop Glory before the ritual starts, I have to save Dawn because she's all I have left.  She's my sister." Buffy finished the emotion she had temporarily held under siege spilling out in drops of water that filled her eyes.

            "Buffy, if we don't" Giles started but was cut off.

            "No.  I don't want to hear it again.  We are not discussing this again.  If Tru's been given the chance to save Dawn there has to be a reason, right?"  Buffy appealed to the group.

            "What if there is no way Buffy?  Would you sacrifice the world for her?" Giles pressed but Buffy turned away, the unspoken answer on the tip of her lips.

            "How did she die?"

            "I-I don't know for sure but there was a tower, I think she fell, or jumped or was pushed or something.  Listen B's right." Tru missed the flicker that crossed several faces at this spontaneous nickname and she turned to address the others.  "There's always a reason, only one reason.  The people weren't meant to die.  Whether there was an accident or an argument or they were murdered, it doesn't matter.  It's not their time to die."

So not a super-exciting chapter, please blame exams for the lengthy not updating.  Also please let me know if you're interested 'cause if ppl aren't I'll put this on hold for a while at least until exams are over.  Please let me know.


	5. Whatever it takes

Hey guys sorry it's been so long but I just finished exams today (dancing around like a crazy person) so I couldn't really let myself get too distracted from revision.  Anyways here is the next chapter, quite a lot of it is again from the Gift but things are a bit different.  I hope you like it 'cause I'm really excited about the direction this story is going to take (I let myself get distracted by planning it) and also by Tru Calling 'cause this weeks episode was the one where Davis gets shot and she nearly does and it was so amazing.

2 things to note: I couldn't remember exactly how old Tru was when her Mom died so I made it up-sorry.  Also I don't really know whether I'm jumping the gun with the whole Tru and her mom thing I say in this chapter-sorry if I'm wrong-remember I don't know yet 'cause stupid England is so far behind.

Glad people are interested:

SPASH Panther: They will be in it but not yet.

Allen Pitt: You're gonna have to wait and see.

Kick A Warrior woman: I think the Bring it on cross is called Before Faith and it's by Sam-453.

This chapter is 'specially for Laura 'cause she still has exams and she was really excited 'bout an update.

Whatever it takes

There was a pause as what Tru said sunk in.  Then Giles shot off a volley of questions, wanting to quash the feeling inside him which told him that whatever Tru said there may be no choice about Dawn's death.

            "Xander do you remember what our plan was?  What action we took?  What went wrong?  How exactly did Dawn die?"  Xander held up his hands in mock defence.

            "Whoa one question at a time."

            "Ok. Here's one.  What were you doing this time in the yesterday that was today?" Tru asked knowing just how helpful a blow by blow account of the day could be.

            "Pretty much this.  Trying to figure out what we were gonna do, only we didn't have that whole little interlude with the thinking you were Faith 'cause you look so much like her and you weren't here and obviously you're not Faith and…I'm babbling.  Ok. Well we went through the ritual again and then," Xander was cut short by Tara who pushed against Willow and distractedly whined,

            "I have places to be."

            "Tara did that." Xander said extremely freaked out by the overwhelming feeling of déjà vu he was getting.  "Then we were talking and…" He trailed off again and Tru, still in the dark voiced just some of the confusion she was feeling.

            "Can we hold up one moment.  I rewound one day but I'm getting the feeling I needed to re-wind several years.  Can someone bring me up to speed 'cause right now all I know is that almost none of you are normal people and the Vampire Slayer's sister has been kidnapped by, a hell god?  Not to mention the fact that in a few hours she'll be dead and I have no idea why."

            The Scoobies looked at each other, all of them knowing the enormity of what Tru was asking and wondering who would be the one to tell this strange girl, with a stranger story, one that even she might find hard to believe. Eventually Giles accepted his traditional role and began.

            "There are many hell dimensions, each presided over by a god or several gods.  Glory, the hell god we are fighting was expelled from her hell dimension and imprisoned in a human body.  Now however she is learning to fight her human counterpart and plans to return to hell using the key.  The key was…living energy.  It needed to be channelled, poured into a specific place at a specific time.  The energy… would flow into that spot, the walls between the dimensions break down and Glory can use that time to get back to her own dimension, not caring that all manner of hell will be unleashed on Earth."

            "Um, but only for a little while, right?  Then the walls will be restored and things will go back to normal." Tru said, struggling to absorb the idea that a hell dimension was going to burst into Earth.  She had somehow managed to block her doubts and scepticism from her mind, something told her that she was being fed more fiction than by reading Harry Potter but a part of her brain was telling her to accept these stories, if she could rewind a day who was she to say that demons didn't exist…she'd seen enough human ones.

            "That's exactly what Anya said." Xander said softly unable to crack one of his usual jokes, knowing what was coming.  Sure enough,

            "Only if the energy is stopped.  And now the key is human…is Dawn," Willow said looking at Buffy but Tru interrupted.

            "Dawn's the key?  So the girl I'm saving is actually a big ball of energy."  Suddenly Buffy looked angry, and an angry slayer can make quite an impression.

            "She is not a ball of energy, she's my sister and you're not saving her.  The monks gave her to me to protect, I can't fail her.  If I do, that's it.  I'm done with the saving people, I'm done with the killing and I'm done with being the slayer.  If Dawn dies, I quit."

            "Why's Dawn have to die?" Tru asked simply.  "I mean what part of energy pouring will kill her?"  Giles read out loud from a book he was holding.

            "The blood flows, the gates will open.  The gates will close when it flows no more."  He looked up and removed his glasses.  "When Dawn is dead."

            Everyone was silent.  Xander could remember only too clearly what had happened next, his too casual question and Spike's scathing yet amazingly insightful answer.  It seemed that even though he would not repeat the question it was fated to be asked as Tru said,

            "Why does it have to be something that kills her?  Why blood?"  Spike answered, as he had done once before though he didn't know it.

            "'Cause it's always got to be blood.  Blood is life, It's what keeps you going.  Makes you warm.  Makes you hard.  Makes you other than blood." He lowered his voice and said softly, "'Course it's her blood."

            "How do you know that?" Tru asked looking at the bleach blond British guy who looked completely calm with a cigarette between his finger and thumb and a black duster round his shoulders.

            "You remember that whole vampire part right?" Buffy said and Tru's face which had clouded over cleared.

            "Right.  So what exactly does the whole vampire deal bring?  I mean, you're dead, you drink blood, what else?"

            "Tend to be a bit on the nocturnal side, no soul obviously, bit of the immortal thing going on."  
            "Unless I stick a stake through you." Buffy interrupted.  "You get used to him after a while.  Then you wish you hadn't.  Anyway back to the saving Dawn plan, do we have one?  I mean we have time 'til the ritual right?  We can just make Glory miss the window."  Xander shook his head.

            "It won't work.  That's what we tried but something went wrong.  Someone got to Dawn first, I don't know who."

            "Ok so new plan.  Anyone got one?" Buffy paused for a moment only to hear silence.  "Didn't think so.  We're gonna have to go with what we've got.  We still have a couple of hours, right?"

            "Uh-oh." Xander murmured but only Willow and Tru heard him, he was too late anyway to prevent what he knew was coming.

            "If my calculations are right.  But Buffy" The slayer cut her watcher off, knowing what was coming almost as surely as if she, like Xander, had seen the day before.

            "I don't wanna hear it."  She turned away from the man who had held her absolute trust until he suggested the one thing she knew she would never let happen.

            "I understand that" Giles started but was cut off once again as the power and anger Tru had seen earlier radiated from Buffy and her eyes shone with it, or was it tears?  Tru didn't know.

            "No!" She exclaimed whirling back to face Giles.  "No, you don't understand.  We are not talking about this."

            "Yes we bloody well are!" Giles yelled standing up violently and shocking everyone present with his outburst, so unusual from the normally mild-mannered man.  He spoke again, quieter and more hesitantly.  "If Glory begins the ritual…if we can't stop her…"  
            "Come on.  Say it.  We're _bloody well _talking about this.  Tell me to kill my sister."

            "She's not your sister." Giles whispered but firmly.  Buffy paused, choosing her words carefully, knowing that however she said it they wouldn't understand, none of them possibly could.

            "No.  She's not.  She's more than that.  She's me.  The monks made her out of me.  I hold her and I feel closer to her than…It's not just the memories they built."  Buffy looked up at Tru.  "They gave me fourteen years of memories but they gave me more than that.  They gave me a part of myself a part I can…" Buffy stopped then started to talk again in a brisker, more determined tone, knowing that what she was about to say would have more of an effect on the watcher, it was based on actions and words, not emotions.  "I'm supposed to save her. You heard Tru, people ask to be helped when it's not their time."  Giles looked uneasy.

            "Buffy I'm sure Tru knows more about this than most of us but I doubt very much that everyone tries to save themselves.  There are people in this sorry world, the world I've sworn to protect, people who are selfless and will ask help for another.  Those people will suffer unbearable torment and death for the sake of a personal crusade.  A crusade which may fail, which may be meant to fail.  Perhaps something else happened that needs to be changed, something we have yet to discover.  Am I right?" Giles asked Tru as Buffy stared at him wide-eyed.  Tru looked at Buffy.  She didn't want to admit it but she knew the British man was right.  People could be selfless, it was comforting to know but it had consequences that were sometimes hard to accept.

            "There was a guy." Tru started, feeling somehow that the best way to explain would be to narrate the tale.  "Nick.  He was a firefighter and he was killed in a blaze along with a little girl.  He asked for my help and I did everything I could to save him but then he went back in, to save the little girl.  He got her out because I knew where she would be, but he didn't make it.  It was his time, his time to save someone else."  Tru's eyes were in as much danger of spilling over as Buffy's.  the slayer who had looked so strong only moments ago looked as if she was made of china, a small frown on her forehead as if she was piecing together a puzzle.

            "It doesn't matter.  The last thing she'll see is me protecting her."  Buffy said firmly but Xander interrupted, knowing that the harsh words to come were not necessary.  Instead he began to relate the plan they had used to stall Glory.  He described Willow's spell and she immediately went to find out what she could have done.  He told of the crane he used and the hammer.  Then he came to the dagon sphere.

            "Where is it?" Buffy asked and Xander looked shiftily at the floor.

            "Well me and Anya went down to the basement to…" Xander paused realising what he'd done in the basement and fingered the outline of a small jewellery box in his pocket.  "find it and…" He paused again, knowing Buffy wouldn't like what he was going to say.  "We found the robot."

            "Robot?" Tru asked looking at Xander.

            "Spike's robot.  His Buffy robot, the Buffybot."

            "Oh." Buffy said, stumped for words but Tru filled in the silence.

            "What did Spike want a robot version of you for?"  Buffy quickly gathered her powers of speech very quickly before Xander could reply.

            "You don't want to know." Tru looked at her with puppy dog eyes.  "Believe me, you really don't want to know.  C'mon we're going to find it."   Buffy turned away leading Tru towards the basement.  Before Tru followed her however she turned to Xander and raised her hands in a questioning manner.  Xander, facing her mimed the Buffybot's purpose

            "Oh." Tru mouthed and turned to follow Buffy, not quite sure what to make of Xander's revelation.  They walked down the steps to the basement and Tru tried to make conversation.  "So, what happened to…Tara?"  Buffy sighed.

            "Yeah Tara.  That was Glory.  See the only way Glory can survive  on earth is to suck energy from people's brains.  I have been spending way too much time with Giles lately.  Anyway it supposedly makes Glory less crazy, not that she's ever exactly sane, and leaves people like Tara, trapped in crazy land."

            "And I thought my job was dangerous." Tru murmured, thinking Buffy wouldn't hear her but she hadn't taken slayer hearing into consideration.  Buffy smiled wryly.

            "It's about to enter perilous.  Listen if you want to back out, this is my world you don't need to be dragged into it."

            "Look Buffy." Tru said.  "I already told you, I'm in whether you like it or not.  I don't know what's going to happen, I still don't quite understand what has happened but my life's already done a 180, I guess I just need to open my eyes a bit wider than I realised."  The two girls stared at each other, some form of mutual respect forming as Tru realised that Buffy was willing to shoulder her own burdens and Buffy realise Tru was willing to share those of other people.

            "So."  Tru started again taking another stab at making conversation.  "Do you have another job or something?  You know other than saving the world?"

            "I was at college but I had to drop out…to look after Dawn."  Buffy looked downwards.  "For all the good it did."

            "Buffy you're the slayer.  I mean that means you're like what? a superhero or something.  You're stronger, faster than like anyone else the world.  Who else could be better to look after something, someone, better?"  Buffy's answer was on the tip of her tongue, it was the person she had thought about more than any other in the last day, the one person she wouldn't see again until…Buffy turned her face upwards to Tru, her face torn by a mixture of emotions.

            "The monks made her my sister so that I would protect her.  So that I would protect her with my life."

            "So I guess you're pretty close huh?" Tru said unintentionally lightening the moment.

            "Sometimes.  Sisterly love, sometimes you hate them right?"  Tru smiled and thought of the rocky relationship she had with Meredith.  'Sisterly love' was one way to put it.

            "But you love 'em really."

            "More than-" Buffy began but stopped herself.

            "What?" Tru asked curiously but Buffy shook her head.

            "I can't say it.  I always lose them."

            "Lose who?" Tru asked genuinely confused.

            "The people I love…more than anything." Buffy replied as memories resurfaced in puddles over her eyes.  "Angel, g-d I still love him.  My Mom,  I wish she was here." A solitary tear trickled down Buffy's  cheek but she made no move to wipe it away.

            "I don't know who Angel is but if it helps I know what it's like to lose a mother." Tru offered.

            "You?" Buffy asked not needing to finish the question.

            "Yeah.  I guess it's how I got landed with this whole do-over days deal."

            "I'm sorry." Buffy said softly, her mind distracted from her own troubles for a moment.  "How old were you?"

            "When she died or when this all started?"

            "The first one, well both actually."

            "I was 12.  I saw it happen and I couldn't do anything about it.  They never caught the guy who did it and I can still see him so clearly.  Each time there's a murder I just wonder, is it this time?  Is it him?  Will I catch him?  I guess it doesn't really make much difference now.  She told me it didn't matter.  The first time a dead person spoke to me it was my mom.  Didn't happen again until a few months ago when I started working at the morgue."  Tru paused for a moment then spoke in a cheery, conversational voice as if she had said nothing of any depth whatsoever, "So how long've you been the slayer?"

            "Six years."  Buffy said.  "Six years of killing demons and vampires and protecting people who are just too blind to even notice what's going on." There was a bitterness in Buffy's voice that Tru was surprised to hear.  "People who wont open up their eyes because they're afraid of what they might see and yet I fight for them, as if they were my friends, or family."

            "Because you'd do anything for family." Tru said thinking again of Meredith and Harrison but also of her mom and what she was unable to do for her.

            "Anything." Buffy repeated.  "But Dawn's the only family I've got left and I failed her."

            "Not yet you haven't." Tru said.  "Your sister is still out there, you know she is.  What are you going to do to save her?"  Buffy looked into Tru's dark eyes and knew that Tru couldn't possibly know what was running through her head, knew that she couldn't possibly interpret what she said in the manner she meant it.

            "Whatever it takes."

            "So we're just going to do the same thing over again, even though it didn't work?" Xander shot at Buffy as they loaded up weapons from the trunk at Buffy's house.  He had told her that Spike had gone with last time but was not surprised she hadn't asked the vampire to come again.

            "No." She replied making the emphasis on the o last.  "It's not the same."

            "Well sure I mean we know we have to hold things off longer and stop whoever got to Dawn getting there first but it's the same plan."  Buffy had laid out what was going to happen at the magic shop and it had been almost identical to what had already been done.

            "No it's different." Buffy said simply looking at Xander with the familiar blaze of defiance.

            "Buffy it's exactly the same.  The Buffybot, the dagon sphere, the hammer.  It's all exactly as I remember it." 

"No it's different." To his great surprise Buffy wrapped Xander in a hug, squeezing him hard but not aggressively.  She buried her head in his chest murmuring,

            "It will be different.  It already is."

So there you go, it's all set.  What's different d'you think. Please review!!!


	6. A slayer's life

Thank you for reviews, they really mean a lot!

Allan Pitt: Wow you've thought about it a lot and I can't believe how close your idea is to what I was going to do.  I'm not actually going to do that though because of a big twist coming up after the next chapter which I hope will be cool in its own way.  There will be a Tru/Faith bit but probably not as you imagine it and I'm not sure about Angel-he definitely wont be important.

This chapter is an extra one I hadn't planned on but I realised after I said they were all set to go in the last one that it's actually really important for tru to learn all the stuff she does in this chapter.  Hopefully it's a bit angsty-it'll work best if it is.

This is to Sam-453 who got me hooked on Fanfic and who helps me loads with stories

Hope you like!

A slayer's life

"I-I think I can do it." Willow stammered looking up at Buffy, who had just walked in, from the spell book on her lap.  "I don't know if it'll work for sure but-"

            "Will it will work, it did once before remember." Buffy said to reassure the wicca who kept looking sadly over at her girlfriend.

            "B-but it could make all our heads explode."

            "Will, it won't.  You'll be fine.  This is really important.  Willow you-" Xander interrupted Buffy with bitterness in his voice.

            "You're her big gun.  Right Buffy?  That's what you were going to say wasn't it?  Even though you know Willow hates being the centre of things.  It's really important to the plan that Willow does this, to buy time even though you know it wont work."  Buffy and Willow looked at Xander, Willow with some alarm but Buffy with unnatural calm.  She knew that Xander was just worried and annoyed with her.  All the way back to the magic shop he had tried to find out what was going on but Buffy had gently refused to explain her plan, only trying to reassure Xander that the outcome would be different.

            "No.  Actually I was going to say it's really important for you to get Tara back."  Buffy lowered her voice and Tru watched from a distance as the slayer said softly to Willow, "You need to find her, you need her." Tru was sure there was something Buffy wasn't saying but Willow was looking at her friend with gratitude all over her face.  Tru could see by the look on Willow's face how important Tara was to her and also Buffy.  Tru saw that Willow trusted Buffy implicitly and that the slayer had somehow given her permission to do something, though Tru wasn't sure what that something might be.

            "So when do we kick this god's ass back to hell then?" Spike's rough voice asked, cutting into the moment of calm.  Buffy turned to him and said,

            "Same time we did last time."  Spike looked at Buffy with a frown.

            "You sure that's a good idea luv?  Shouldn't we get moving a bit sooner to save the little bit?  Like now maybe?"

            "Yeah see, even fang boy gets it.  Buffy if we left now we could get there in time to do some serious altering of the situation…and godly ass-whooping."  Xander was glad that someone else agreed with him, though he was less pleased that it was Spike.  Tru watched the scene unfold as if she were a spectator of a show whose characters had stepped straight out of the fictional, supernatural genre.  Giles was drawn towards the group by some instinctive ability to sense squabbling despite his engrossment in a book of some sort.  "Tell her Giles."

            "Hmm." Giles said absently only vaguely concentrating on the conversation, more absorbed in his book.

            "Tell Buffy we should saddle up now." Xander said emphatically but to his surprise Giles disagreed.

            "Uh-no.  Not just yet."  He said still partially distracted.

            "Giles." Xander said again after a pause and snapped his fingers in front of the watcher's face.

            "Sorry, sorry." Giles awoke from his distracted state.  "No if we go this early, now…well it's not…didn't I say this yesterday-uh-today?"  Xander looked slightly shifty.

            "I don't think I listened to that bit."  Xander admitted in a guilty voice but Giles tolerantly refrained from making his usual clucking sound and merely explained.

            "If we attempt to stop Glory too early and something goes wrong we leave the path clear and enough time for Gloy to-to complete the ritual."

            "Yeah but nothing will go wrong will it?  I mean we know what's going to happen so we can go right now, stop it before the ritual can even get started."  
            "No." Buffy said a little too quickly so that everyone looked at her.  "I-we have to know exactly what's going on.  If we go in early things might be different.  It has to be-" Buffy broke off looking down at her hands.  "I need to know what's happening or it wont work."

            Tru understood where Buffy was coming from, Davis had said something similar to her when Mark had been killed at her party and then at her high school reunion she had very nearly witnessed what he meant yet she though that in this case Buffy might have it wrong.  Since they knew almost exactly what had happened and the problem was leaving things too late, an early arrival didn't seem such a bad idea.  Tru was going to express theses sentiments but Anya, whose bluntness amused Tru, got there first.  Buffy immediately beat her down.

            "No.  We go when Tara told us.  When it's time." Giles seemed to read something in his slayer's face though Tru wasn't sure what-determination, sadness, love?  Maybe a multitude of emotions but whatever it was made Giles call a halt to the attack on Buffy and accept her decision, not that the ball was in his court- Buffy was the slayer and Tru was gradually coming to realise that meant she was the boss.

            "In the meantime…do whatever helps.  I need to …go pummel the punch bag." Buffy walked towards the door to the training room and Tru watched her go, an unassuming figure in white, walking as though she carried the weight of the world on her shoulders.  Yet she was not fragile like the last time Tru had seen her in those clothes.  The strength it seemed this group of people depended on was still there and Tru could tell that Buffy was on a mission, to save Dawn she knew, how she didn't.  So as Buffy temporarily exited the stage Tru prepared for her entrance.

            "We could go through the council stuff again." Anya suggested perkily breaking the sombre tone of the last few moments.

            "What's the council?" Tru asked curiously.

            "Bunch of kill Buffy types." Xander said with a light-hearted bitterness typical of him.

            "Xander please.  They did not kill Buffy…they just came very close to doing it…twice." Giles was not nearly so sure of his own point by the time he finished that stuttered sentence.  "But they didn't mean to…the…the one time they did believe her to be Faith and well the cruciamentum was unnecessarily cruel we are all agreed but it was incredibly unfortunate," He finished in a weak defence.

            "So this council…anti-slayer league or something?" Tru asked realising that whatever it was had obviously tried to rid the world of both slayers.  To her surprise Xander let out a slight guffaw but Giles remained serious.

            "The Council of Watchers is a group comprising of all watchers and well I suppose I must include myself in that bracket although I hope I am not as bloody short-sighted and bigoted as good old Quentin."

            "Why would watchers try to kill the Slayer?" Tru asked feeling as if she were trying to extract a tooth that was firmly rooted in.

            "Because they are arrogant pen-pushing beaurocratic egomaniacs." Xander said expressively making his feelings regarding the council crystal clear.  This time Giles did not scold Xander though his sigh made his reluctant agreement obvious.

            "They do rather lack field experience." He said diplomatically and Tru began to build a rather accurate mental picture of people who looked a little like Giles wearing tweed and sitting in a boardroom with piles of ancient books and cups of tea.  "Yet they are the best when it comes to researching the occult, in fact researching anything."

            "Like how to get you kicked out of the country." Xander added irritably having not forgotten Travers' clever ploy to get Buffy to perform his test.  Xander would forever savour the moment of Buffy's speech to the council, especially the sword she threw at the watcher who interrupted her.

            "Well they are also known for their coercion skills or do you honestly think I would have performed even part of the cruciamentum on Buffy?"

            "Uh slayer speak.  What's the crucia-thing?" Tru said, asking yet another question.

            "An arcane and pointless ritual in cruelty and one which I am thoroughly ashamed to have ever taken part in." Giles removed his glasses and began to clean them carefully avoiding anyone's eyes.  "It is a test performed on the Slayer's eighteenth birthday in which her strength is unknowingly removed and she is sent to fight a vampire using her mind only.  Of course in Buffy's case they had to make it as difficult as possible and when you add the inevitable complications…well needless to say the day was…memorable."

            "What happened?"

            "The vampire Buffy was meant to fight escaped.  Her mother's life was endangered so Buffy immediately went to help her, despite knowing that she was no longer strong enough to fight the demented creature."  
            "I thought you said she didn't know about being weak." Tru commented, her mind well adapted to spotting discrepancies which could be crucially important.  She was talking of small issues but her mind was concentrated on larger ones.  Buffy had walked into an impossible situation to save someone she loved.  She had been put in danger by people whose job it was to protect her, what on earth could the bad guys do to her?

            "She didn't…until I told her.  It was my job to administer the drugs which took away her strength but I couldn't cope with what it was doing to her.  Buffy believed herself to be ill in some way, to be losing a part of herself and the ability to protect not only herself but others.  Fortunately she proved she had not but the event was…trying.  I was fired as her watcher and her faith had been shattered."  Tru could tell from the emotion in Giles' voice how sorry he was about the test and how guilty he felt.  She could tell how important his Slayer was to him and how he cared for her like a daughter.  "Buffy has faced a lot to reconcile with the council, not least agreeing to participate in another of their tests.  It is just something that makes me even more proud of her-to fight demons is one thing-to fight men as powerful as the council and initiate a ceasefire is quite another."  Giles was indeed proud of Buffy.  As he had told her before her ability to place her heart above everything was something amazing, something indescribable by the limits of adjectives and tru would shortly learn that.

            "Sounds like they really don't know how to treat the Slayer then." Tru stated and to the minds of everyone present it was true.

            "And they wonder why slayers die so young." Xander commented wryly.  "Couldn't be because they have no clue what they have to face."

            "Slayers die young?" Tru repeated.

            "Not every Slayer even reached the age of their cruciamentum.  Some live for barely a week after their calling, they have been known not to last a day.  Very few make it past their teens."

            "But Buffy's going strong right?  I mean she's what twenty?  She's not died yet."  Everyone looked at the floor.  "Right?" Tru persisted and eventually Xander looked up at her.

            "Actually-" Giles looked at Xander who paused and then the watcher quietly turned away and walked towards the training room, not wanting to face his guilt over his Slayers' death at a time when there was, yet again, a world to save.  "She-well Buffy did die."  Tru looked at Xander.  She did not need to ask a question for it was written all over her face.  "She drowned." The group had mostly turned away by now, Willow was looking up more spells, Giles had left the room and Anya was collecting useful items from the bookshelves.  Only Spike was listening in on the conversation but he did not say anything, he merely listened to the famous tale.  "There was a prophecy which said that Buffy would face the Master-super evil vampire dude-and that she would die.  And she went to fight him and it happened."

            "She fought this vampire even though it was going to kill her?"

            "That's the buffster for you.  The world's in danger and she lies down her life to save it."

            "But then how?…how is?"

            "She still alive?  Good old CPR.  The prophecy was right but it wasn't the whole truth.  Buffy came back from the dead and presto we have two slayers."  Tru couldn't think of anything to say for a moment.  How could she comprehend just how much Buffy was willing to give up?  Sure she felt as if she were making unfair sacrifices in her life but they were insignificant things mostly-arguments, cancelled arrangements.  Her job had once saved her life-whirling her out of the current day before a bullet killed her but Buffy's had done the opposite.  Her fight had killed her and presumably others.  When people Tru could not save died, at least she had the comfort of knowing that they were meant to. In Buffy's case they could be innocents caught in the crossfire of good and evil and would leave the mark of loss on Buffy.  To lie down her own life-it was something Tru could not envisage having to do.  She could only begin to imagine what it would be like going into a fight and knowing you would be dead by the end, it was bad enough knowing some one else could die that day.  And now it was Dawn's turn.  Tru would not let the third Summers girl die, she would at least save Buffy that heart ache though she could not undo the rest.  But Tru did not know it all, Buffy's suffering would take weeks to relate but in the next few minutes Tru was granted an insight into the tragic life of the Slayer and the bravery and emotion with which Buffy faced it.  She began to understand why this group of people stayed so close together-they were led, not by the Slayer, but by Buffy.  By the girl who held her heart out for all to see, to make decisions with and to guide her.  A heart that was bruised and sore but which remained intact, sewn back together by the love it embodied, the love which heightened Buffy's desperation to save her sister.

            After Xander's tale Tru continued her circuit of the people present.  She had not planned it but each seemed to have a story to share and they all made her more in awe of Buffy, more impressed by such an inconspicuous figure who managed to retain her humanity and the emotions it dictated yet was somehow beyond them.  Though she kept herself among people whose only gift was their nature she was evidently more than them.  The power she possessed was radiant and Tru could tell it was her love and selflessness which stopped her wielding it over everyone, it wouldn't be hard to cut the string and rise above everyone but Buffy never would.

            Willow was gazing into Tara's distracted face when Tru sat down beside her.

            "You doing ok?" She asked the witch though she knew it was a pointless question.  "I'm sorry that was stupid.  'Course you're not."

            "I just want her back.  I can't lose her, she's my everything."  Tru could se the longing in Willow's eyes and knew that she spoke form her heart.  It was touching to see how she cared for Tara and Tru could parallel Willow's desperation to save her girlfriend with Buffy's to save her sister.

            "What about Buffy?" Tru asked wondering how the Slayer fitted into a life so clearly consumed by one woman.  A small smile flittered onto Willow's face.

            "She understands."  This statement confused Tru slightly.  What did Buffy understand?  Fortunately Willow answered the unasked question.  "She knows how important it is to find her and I know how important it is to find Dawn.  Buffy's my best friend and-and I love her, in a best friend kind of way, and she understands.  She understands what I have to do."

            "What's that?" Tru asked alarmed by the implications of something that would harm others.

            "I have to put Tara first, I have to save my world."  Tru somehow understood then what Buffy meant to Willow.  The look of gratitude that had earlier crossed the witch's face and the permission that had somehow been granted was an understanding of the choices each would make.  They were friends in the truest sense-each would support the other's decisions and more than that, they knew where their actions came from.  They could read the other's heart and would do whatever they could to keep the other safe.  Willow had taken on a huge task-to comfort and protect the Slayer but she was repaid by the understanding of her best friend, an understanding which led her to risk everything for her safety.  And Tru learnt of what Buffy would do for Willow, how much she would stand to lose in order to protect her friend. 

"Like she has to save hers.  She has to save Dawn like she would save Giles or Xander or me." Willow continued.

            "She saved you all?" Tru asked, surprised at how unsurprised she would be by this.  Willow nodded.

            "Mostly from horrible demony deaths."

            "What did she save you from?"

            "Faith." Was Willow's unexpected answer.  "She agreed to trade the box of Gavrok for my safety even though she knew it would bring the ascension."

            "I'm lost." Tru said wondering what the ascension was and what Faith had to do with it.  As if she knew what Tru was confused about Willow explained.

            "Faith was working for the town mayor who planned to ascend to a pure demonic state in which he could, in all likelihood destroy the entire town.  Faith had me captive but Buffy decided to save me even though she could have stopped the ascension."  
            "She risked the lives of the whole town?" Willow nodded, a small smile on her face.

            "For me.  Like she would risk the world for Dawn.  There's no way she'll let Dawn die, she'll do anything to save her.  She'll do whatever it takes."

            Willow's echo of Buffy's words made Tru pause.  There was something in them that spelt foreboding but Willow seemed to be unconscious of it.  She was continuing the story.

            "So she blew the entire school up, lucky it was graduation or I guess she'd have been expelled…again."

            "Expelled?" Tru repeated distractedly, having missed what Willow was talking about.

            "From Hemery." Willow said looking at Tru carefully.  "Buffy only came to Sunnydale because of it, not easy.  She started all over again because of the vampires, because no one would believe that she burnt the gym down to save them all, and it's the same-all the time." There was a bitterness in Willow's voice, on behalf of her friend.  "No one knows, what she goes through.  No one tries to understand, except us,  The Scooby gang.  Even Cordelia respected Buffy but the rest of them have no idea what she'd do for them, what she does for us."  Willow's gaze returned to Tara and Tru promised herself that she would understand.  She swore that she would learn what a slayer's life held and she would help Buffy face it.

            Spike was next in the unconscious circuit Tru was making.

            "Yeah Slayer's had a rough time of it."  he said mid-conversation.  "'Course I probably didn't help for  a while, had a bit of a thing for slayers.  The blood's just got that extra something-know what I mean?" 

            "Uhh" Tru slurred not quite sure how to respond to the vampire.  It didn't seem to matter though as it was a rhetorical question.

            "Yeah well did a couple of them."

            "But not Buffy?" Tru commented blandly.

            "Well I'm good now aren't I."  Spike replied with a touch of pride in his voice.  "I mean I had a few goes at it an' all but now I'm good."

"A good vampire? I didn't think there could be wholly good ones."

"Well I'm not totally good, not like that prat Angel but I do alright.  Okay I'm not actually good but I fight for the good guys alright?"

"You've got a thing for her haven't you?" Tru said smartly.

"Yeah I told you, Slayer's blood's got something real good in it."

"Nah you like her don't you?" Tru continued with a smile forming at the corners of her lips.  "You don't just stick around for the blood, you've got the hots for her."

"I bloody well do not." Spike protested standing up violently and lighting a cigarette but Tru crossed her arms and gave him a disbelieving stare.  "Whatever, I'd never be good enough for her, not after soul boy."

"Soul boy?" Tru repeated and Spike resigned himself to the story.

"Angel.  Once the scourge of Europe, 'long with coupla others o'course, now vampire with a soul and the slayer's damn soul mate or something."

"Buffy went out with a vampire?" Tru asked disbelievingly.

"Not just went out with or we wouldn't have had half so much fun."  Tru raised her eyebrows at Spike, intrigued by his story but wondering how much to trust the blond vampire.  "Well fun for me of course, not sure Buffy saw it quite the same way."

"What happened?" Tru asked once again taking on the role of investigator as she delved deeper and deeper into Buffy's life.  "Where's Angel now?"

"Left her didn't he, like soldier boy.  Said they couldn't be together 'cause he had nothing to offer her-being 240 odd and all besides the vampire-slayer thing."

"And that was fun for you how?"

"No no that wasn't the fun part.  Now we're going back a bit.  See Angel's soul-well it's not exactly permanent.  Coupla things that'll get rid of it and Angel without the soul…let's just say he's a lot more entertaining."

  "Entertaining for you."

"Well yeah, Buffy had her fun getting rid of the soul- a moment of pure happiness, you get the picture."  Tru did and her mouth fell open as Spike continued.  "So Me an' Dru and Angelus-that's the alter-ego- had rather a good time of it for a while.  See Buffy was in a bit of a situation-kill Angelus and lose Angel or leave Angelus and lose, well, lots of people actually.  See Angel and Angelus aren't that far apart really, one night and Angel's gone but he looks the same.  Must have been quite interesting going to bed with Angel and waking up with a monster."

"She loved him?"

"Oh yeah." Tru caught the wistful tone of Spike's voice and knew that Spike didn't just lust after Buffy, his feelings went deeper than that.  "That's what made it so fun, watching her squirm.  Only Buffy's got this champion of the world thing going on hasn't she and he had a destroy the world thing."

"Destroy the world?"

"yeah well it was Dru as well." Spike added with a touch of pride.  "But I got us out of there, so it was Buffy and Angelus and a portal waiting to take the world to hell.  Well obviously we aren't in hell, though we could be in about half an hour, so you can guess what happened.

"She killed Angelus?"  Tru was horrified by what Buffy must have gone through.  To lose someone you love was one thing but to be the cause of that loss, even if it was not the true person you knew…yet again she was struck dumb by the horrors of the slayer's life.  But Spike was not finished, there was worse to come.

"No.  She killed Angel."

It was a simple statement, one tossed offhandedly at Tru but it carried so much weight.  One after another events tumbled down on the Slayer and though Tru was merely hearing the stories their weight pressed against her shoulders and she mourned for what Buffy lost-her childhood.  The innocent period in which a transition is made was lost to the slayer, lost through a destiny she could not control, a destiny unwanted and yet accepted and bringing with it trials no one should have to face.

"Why?"

It was a simple question, one Tru did not think about asking but it asked so much.  One after another her questions revealed insight into the Slayer and though they did not build the whole picture the fraction that became apparent was tragic enough.  So Tru listened to the tale, a tale told by a third party, someone who could relate it in the most dispassionate tone, and yet the weight behind it was as great as ever.

To kill the one you loved to save the world.

Just words.  That's all they were.  Yet so much more.  A heart-rending decision.  An impossible choice.  Yet Buffy had done it.  She did the truly harrowing and sacrificed her love for the world, just as she sacrificed herself.  Tru bowed her head as Spike told of Angel's second departure, understanding how much pain it must have caused the Slayer and a silent tear dripped down her face as she learnt that the two were destined to be together yet fated to be apart.

As Tru realised the first part of her promise to herself, as she learnt of the heartache of a slayer's life the Slayer herself emerged. 

"Tara," she said, "Do you have somewhere to be?"

Please review! Ooh and has anyone seen the musical Blood Brothers?  I was thinking about a Tru Calling/ Blood brothers X 'cause the question would be could the twins find out about each other and live or was it superstition?  Also should both live? Etc etc… whaddaya think?

Please review!


	7. To save her world

I'm really sorry this has taken so long-combination of no time, biology field trip and being really difficult to write.  A lot of it is very similar to the gift but it's got some pretty major differences so look out for them.  Anyway on with the story.

To Save her world

"Tara, baby?" Is there somewhere you should be?" Willow repeated and Tara looked over at Buffy.

            "They held me down."

            "No one's holding you.  It's the big day right?" Willow asked her girlfriend but Tara looked blank.

            "Hey it's no problem, I know where we're going." Tru offered and Buffy looked over at her sharply.

            "No.  You can't be involved, it has to be the same so we go like we did."  Buffy and Tru stared at each other in an intense gaze until Tara broke the moment.

            "You're a killer." She said and pointed at Giles.  "This is all set down."

            "What does she mean?" Giles asked Xander who only shook his head, not knowing the answer and watched Tara walk out the door.  Willow followed, pausing only to hear Buffy's short address.

             "Everybody knows their jobs.  Remember, I'll kill anyone who comes near Dawn."  She turned away as Giles and Spike looked at each other and Xander looked confusedly at Tru.

            "Isn't there something missing from that?" Xander murmured but everyone was busy gathering up weapons and leaving.

            "Well, not exactly the St. Crispin's Day speech, was it?" Spike commented dryly and Giles responded sardonically,

            "We few…we happy few."

            "We band of buggered." Spike interrupted and Giles couldn't help but smile wryly as the door closed behind vampire and watcher.

It was from then on that Tru began to see the Scooby gang at work.  She was not allowed to interfere but sheltered behind a massive pile of rubble and watched as the most remarkable scenes unfolded.  Despite Willow's claim to need courage it was obvious that was one thing none of the gang lacked.  Willow didn't hesitate in grabbing hold of Glory's head and Tru's mouth fell open as she saw the sparks of blue light which built up to a blast of energy that threw the three women apart.  She gasped as Willow crashed into a pile of crates but true to her promise to Buffy she stayed still and allowed things to play out as they must have the day before.

It was the face off that caught Tru's attention next, amongst all the crazy people wandering around and the random fights that were springing up it was two figures who stood out, neither of whom looked particularly imposing but both extremely powerful.  Tru smiled at the banter and her grin widened with every punch the Buffybot landed until suddenly her head was kicked clean off and Tru's smile rapidly disappeared, only to return with Buffy's quip.

"Glory, you're not the brightest god in the heavens are you?"  It was just brilliantly timed, add in the troll's hammer and Tru would have said you had a brilliant piece of theatre if it wasn't for the extreme reality of the life at stake, a concept brought home by Dawn's petrified cry for her sister from the top of the tower.  Buffy ran to the tower but seemed to deliberately keep fighting Glory.  She climbed up, then engaged in a brawl, on losing her hammer Buffy didn't hesitate to slide down the tower again even falling off it in order to retrieve her weapon.  The next thing Tru saw was Xander's huge ball of concrete smashing through the wall and his satisfied smile as Glory once again went flying.

Tru was joined by Giles, Anya and Spike who shared worried expressions.

"Has anyone noticed we're going backwards?" Anya asked and Tru had to admit things weren't looking good.

"We should have done something differently, this can't be right." She said anxiously.

"Don't worry.  It's not time to panic yet." Giles said confidently.  "Buffy will be doing everything she can to save Dawn, she doesn't often fail."

"She did yesterday." Anya pointed out but Spike's comment was more distracting.

"Uh watcher-when would be a good time to panic, only there's someone up there with the niblet and it ain't Buffy."  It was true.  They looked upwards to see a figure approaching the platform on which Dawn stood.

"Oh no." Xander said joining the others. 

"Xander.  Be more specific." Tru said coldly.

"This is too similar, I don't like it."  
            "It has to be the same, Buffy was rather insistant." Giles pointed out as Willow's voice sounded in each of their heads.

"Uh guys.  Someone needs to get up there.  Now." They all paused, looking at each other but none more expectantly than Xander at Spike.

"What you looking at me for bricklayer?" The vampire asked.

"Why aren't you going?" Xander asked and Spike looked confused for a moment then sprinted off in the direction of the tower calling back,

"You'd better explain what I've missed builder." As the crazies and minions parted before him like the red sea.

They continued to watch, eyes drawn between Buffy repeatedly pounding Glory and Spike making his way up the tower towards Dawn.

Spike was breathing heavily, he didn't understand why he would have come up here earlier but those thoughts disappeared as he saw Doc slicing a silver knife slowly towards Dawn's stomach.

"Spike." Dawn called and Spike was glad to distract the demon, normally he would have cursed the girl for spoiling his surprise attack but if Doc had been given one second more it would have been the end-literally.

"Doesn't a fella stay dead when you kill him?" Spike quipped and then tried to engage Doc in a fight.  Unfortunately he quickly found a knife in his back but pulled it out and continued his 'conversation'. "You don't come near the girl, Doc."

"I don't smell a soul anywhere on you.  Why do you even care?"

Spike was stumped for a second then looked Doc in the eye.

"Just don't like you much is all."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Doc said and shot his immensely long tongue at Spike.  The two grappled for a moment before Doc pushed Spike over the edge of the tower and he fell to the ground.

Tru watched in horror from behind the barrier.  She could hardly believe what she was seeing, it was a scene from a nightmare or a horror movie and she didn't even know what the outcome would be.  Buffy had promised it would be different from the day before but had insisted everything stay the same and from Xander's horrified face Tru could see that the scene was as disastrous as he remembered.  Spike was crawling towards them, bloodied.  Willow and Tara were out of sight and Buffy was pounding Glory not so far away.  The small group watched as she suddenly stood up and ran towards the tower looking upwards to the source of screaming.

"Giles." Xander suddenly said.  "You have to go somewhere, you went somewhere yesterday."

"I-I did?" Giles looked confused for a moment and stared blankly around the war-torn area.  His eyes fell on Ben, lying bloodied on the floor and the memory of Tara came into his head. 'You're a murderer' she had said and now he knew why.  Giles stood up and walked over to Ben.  Everyone watched him until they heard Dawn's voice once again screaming,

"Buffy!"

In the sky above a ball of light was forming and it wasn't just Xander who knew what that meant.  Tru too recognised its power and knew what was coming next, her mind re-wound and she saw again the bolts of blue lightening flashing through the sky and the pools of light forming on the ground.

"It's started." She said and no one could disagree.  Xander held Anya close and they all watched as Buffy reached the platform.  Her tiny figure strode along and without pausing pushed another off the tower so that only the two sisters remained, high above  the opening portal.  The light pulsed and became more powerful and Xander exclaimed,

"No."  He drew a deep breath.  "No it can't be.  It's exactly the same, dammit.  She said it would be different but it's too late.  It's started and there's no difference.  Dawn's gonna die all over again 'cause it's the only way to stop it.  She said she'd do anything to save Dawn, she said it yesterday and Dawn died and she said it today and it's no different.  She said it would be different, she said she would do anything, she'd do…"

"Whatever it takes." Tru finished and stood up sharply.

"What are you doing, get down here." Anya said but Tru ignored her and instead ran towards the base of the tower as forked lightening emerged from the sphere of energy.  Everyone stared upwards as Tru climbed the tower hurrying as fast as she could, desperate to stop what she knew would happen.  As she reached the top she could hear Buffy talking to Dawn, hurriedly trying to say all she could whilst the destruction around them continued and the tower quaked.

"Listen to me.  Please, there's not a lot of time, listen.  I love you.  I will always love you more than I can say and that's why I have to do this."  Tru quickened her pace even further, her heart pumping wildly as her fears were becoming confirmed.  "Tell Giles…tell Giles I understand, and its okay.  And give my love to my friends.  You have to take care of them now. You have to take care of each other.  Tell Tru…tell Tru that I figured it out, and thank you, thank you more than I can ever say.  Dawn she's given us the chance, we have to be take it.  We have to be brave, you have to be brave.  Dawn the hardest thing in this world…is to live in it.  Be brave.  Live.  For me."

 Tru reached the platform as Buffy hugged Dawn one last time, she saw the slayer's face looking straight at her and saw her mouth form the words, "Thank you." Then Buffy turned and ran, graceful as a doe to the platform's edge where she dived like a bird into the brilliant light.  Tru stood behind Dawn on the runway staring down into the shrinking glow, watching Buffy hang there as the light faded, unable to move as the slayer sank to the ground her life given away for that of the girl in front of her.  Something seemed to pass through Tru, a wave of something more powerful than anything she could remember.  Grief.  Guilt.  A combination of the two that she had come close to experiencing only once before, when she was twelve years old.  As she stood there the words of a song flickered through Tru's head and never before had they seemed more appropriate.

_Tell me it's not true,  
Say it's just a story,  
Something on the news._

Tru continued to stare at the spot where Buffy had stood a moment before.   Dawn stood there now, a young girl alive because of the actions of two girls.  One of them lay on the ground, a figure in white surrounded by those she loved.  The other stood atop a tower, frozen by what had just passed.

_Tell me it's not true,   
Though it's here before me,  
Say it's just a dream,  
Say it's just a scene,  
From an old movie of years ago._

               'It can't be true.  It can't be.  I killed the slayer.  I came here to save the key and I killed the slayer.' Tru remembered all she had heard from the people walking towards Buffy's still form.  She remembered all that Buffy had been through, the tales of her fights and her heartbreak.  She remembered how she had saved her life and the lives of so many others yet Tru had not only been unable to save her…she had killed her, all for the girl standing in front of her.  
_Say it's just a show on the radio,  
That we can turn over and start again,_  
                Tru gasped and hurried to the ladder.  She slipped and slid her way down the tower, desperate to reach the bottom where a small circle of mourners stood.  Dawn remained at the top of the tower, not knowing Tru had ever been there, staring with tear filled eyes at her sister's sacrifice._Tell me it's not true,  
Say I only dreamed it,  
And morning will come soon.___               Tru was crying now and pleading under her breath.  "Please." She murmered.  "Please." She reached the ground and ran forward.  She flung herself down next to Buffy and held the slayer's lifeless hand sobbing.  "Please Buffy.  Please.  Come on, it's not your time.  Please Buffy ask me for help.  Please, come on.  You don't have to do this.  Please, I came here to save a life, please don't let me take yours.  Please Buffy."  Tru placed her head on the ground and sobbed, not noticing Dawn slowly descending the tower steps and staring at the scene in front of her.               "Tru?" Dawn said quietly and she looked up to see a circle of faces around her.  Whether it was real or not Tru saw hatred on their faces, saw blame for the loss of their friend.  She stood up and turned, only to see for the first time Dawn's face, tear-streaked but alive.  "Tru?" Dawn repeated but Tru heard accusation in the girl's voice and saw it in every face.               "I'm sorry." She whispered and ran away from everyone, away from the place where the world didn't end and the place where the Slayer lay dead, because of her.  She didn't hear Dawn's whispered words, nor see the looks of understanding on several faces, too strong was her self hatred and sense of horror.               Tru ran towards the road and saw a cab driving along slowly.  She hailed it quickly and clambered in.               "Where to?" asked a familiar voice and Tru looked up to see the face of the driver she had the day before.               "Airport." Tru muttered and the cab driver drove on to a turning spot to take her to the airfield she had landed at.  As they drove she stared out the window at the cracked road, not listening to the driver's burble about the freak storm, the song still resounding through her head._ Tell me it's not true,  
Say you didn't mean it,  
 Say it's just pretend,  
Say it's just the end,  
Of an old movie from years ago,___

  As she watched she saw a band of warriors walking through the smoke rising from the burning ground. There was a dark haired man carrying a woman in his arms, a look of surprising tenderness on his face, a figure cloaked in a long black coat held over its head as if shutting out the world, a red-haired girl, crying bitterly and holding onto a brunette as if she might collapse without support but these were not the clearest images.  A tiny figure walked alone looking as if the world had fallen from beneath her feet.  Though Tru had been too far away to see her clearly she could sense fragility, as if the slightest contact would merge two worlds throwing everything into chaos.  An older man was among the group, he had been carrying another girl, the girl whose life had been given so generously and yet who Tru felt she had robbed.  As the taxi drove away from the small group Tru twisted her head to look back at them.  Just before their faces became obscured by distance she saw for an instant a beautiful face, deathly pale, and for a second thought the lips were moving and that she would be given another chance.  It was not to be.

Tru never knew how she made it through the flight home.  She couldn't sleep, a film played behind her closed eyelids of a figure swan diving into brilliant light and all the time the song kept playing in her head.   
_Tell me it's not true,  
Say I only dreamed it,  
And morning will come soon._

_  
_Tru ran into the morgue calling for Davis but there was no answer.  She ran into the arrivals room where one body lay on a trolley, covered in a sheet.

"Davis?" Tru called.  "Davis?"  She leant back against the wall and once again tears broke forth.  "Davis.  I need to…I have to talk…to tell you."

"Tru." Called a voice.

"Davis?" Tru asked but of course it was a ghostly whisper that called her name.

"Tru."  She walked slowly towards the body murmuring,

"No, no.  No way."  It sat up suddenly, still covered in the sheet, startling her.  "Don't even think about it.  I'm through with this.  Callings go to hell, I'm not doing it any more.  She said she'd quit if Dawn died but she died so I quit. That's it, no more do-over days, it never helps.  People still die dammit and the Slayer, the most selfless, amazing person in the world and she's dead because of me, because of what I can do.  Well I'm not doing it anymore.  I quit.  Don't you dare ask me for help."  The sheeted figure laughed throatily.

"Wasn't going to." It said and pulled off the sheet to reveal a face distorted by bumps and ridges and a mouth with pointed fangs extruding.  "Slayer."

Ooh cliffie?

The song's from 'Blood Brothers' the musical by Willy Russell which is amazing-go see it or at least listen to the soundtrack (I might write a cross with Tru Calling and Blood Brothers if I get time)

Reviews please-I really wanna know if anyone thought this was what was gonna happen and if anyone knows what's gonna happen next.


	8. The Slayer

Hi, I'm ba-ack. Sorry it's taken so long, hope you didn't give up on me-story's not over yet. So, I can't be bothered to do a long summary so here's a v. short recap:- Tru saw Dawn ask for help after jumping to save the world in 'The Gift'. She re did the day and changed things just enough to make Buffy jump instead of Dawn. In the meantime she learnt all about the Slayer thing and all about Buffy so when Buffy died Tru had massive guilt and flew back home believing herself a murderer and cursing her calling. At the morgue a vamp attacked and the last thing that happened…he called her slayer.

So…enjoy

Tru just stared for a moment, frozen as still as an ice sculpture then she exploded.

"How many damn times? I'm not Faith! She's the only slayer and I'm not her. The Slayer's dead and I could never deserve her title. Don't you dare even say that word to me." The vampire just stood there during Tru's rant, smiling it's fanged smile at her.

"So. The slayer's dead is she? And I've picked up the new one. Isn't it just my lucky day? Gain immortality, kill the slayer. Death is good." With that the vampire sprung at Tru who rolled to the side, surprising herself with the speed of her reaction. He turned and continued to advance on Tru who backed rapidly away, grabbing two sharp implements from the autopsy table as she passed. The vampire's evil grin widened. "Trying to make it sport? Those aren't going to help too much."

"Oh yeah." Tru shot back and jumped forwards, stabbing the vampire's chest with a skewer-like tool. She stood back and smiled slightly but her grin faded as the grotesque face in front of her curled into a smirk.

"There aint much wood in a place like this honey."

As he finished speaking the vampire, standing with his back to the door, crumbled into dust before he even realised what had happened. Behind him Davis was revealed standing with a crossbow now pointing at Tru but obviously aimed at the figure that had stood in front of her previously. For a moment they looked at each other then Davis coughed embarrassedly and looked away.

"Um. I'll be in my office." he muttered and turned to leave but Tru was having none of that.

"Uh uh. You have some explanations to give Davis. How did you know what to do?"

"You had better sit down." Davis said looking reluctant. Tru did so, waiting unusually patiently for him to speak. "Tru, in every generation there is a chosen one. One girl in all the world with the strength and skill to hunt the vampires, to fight the demons and stop the spread of darkness. She is"

"The slayer." Tru finished. "But what's that to do with…" Her eyes widened as she realised what Davis was about to say.

"You." He said and then proceeded to confirm her expectations. "Tru you are the slayer." Tru exploded out of her chair.

"What did you say?"

"The slayer. Tru she's"

"Buffy." Tru interrupted. "And Faith. Not me. I'm not being the slayer."

"Tru it's not something you can choose…How do you know?"

"Know?" Tru repeated almost hysterically. "Know. Davis I saw the Slayer die. I …I killed her because of one stupid calling. She's dead because I got called on to do one lifesaving job Davis and I failed even that one how on earth can I have a second calling? I can't even handle one."

"I think I missed something here." Davis said extremely confused.

"You know when I asked about a girl falling from a tower? Yeah well that was the slayer's sister only she turned out to be a big ball of energy held hostage by a hellgoddess. She died to stop the world from ending but I messed that up didn't I. I changed things so that Buffy, the actual vampire slayer , the girl who killed her soul mate and saved 100s of people died for the second time instead. I killed a girl who already died to save the world Davis, I'm nothing compared to her."

"Tru I've seen slayers at work, I've watched them train and do their job and it's a tough one but I've seen what you do and it's every bit as impressive, you have the power to be the greatest slayer who ever walked. With two callings think how many people you can save."

"That's just it Davis. I can't. It doesn't work like that. I can't take it any more, I try and try and try to save them but sometimes there's nothing I can do yet the world seems to put me through it anyway. I'll be sent back a day to save someone and they die anyway or someone else does. I can't see more people die Davis but I wont be able to save them."

"Tru you don't have a choice. It's your destiny. Being the slayer, it's not something you can just turn your back on. It's your destiny."

"It's a death sentence. They told me, in Sunnydale. When one slayer dies the next is called, sometimes it takes less than a day but it always happens eventually, even to Buffy, even to the longest surviving Slayer ever, death comes and I brought it. Davis I killed the Slayer, I can't be one."

"You can't not be one." Davis said softly.

"Yes I can." Tru said it with such conviction that despite himself Davis almost believed her. Then he came to his senses.

"You can't deny who you are."

"I can when there's someone else who can be who I'm supposed to be."

"There's no one else Tru. That's how this works. One slayer per generation, one is called when the previous one dies."

"Usually. This time it's different. This time there's Faith."

Cue theme music (hee hee)

Davis stared at Tru for a moment in confusion. "The renegade slayer? Tru not only is she in jail and for good reason but she made it very obvious she does not want to work with authority."

"The watchers' council authority? I'm not sure I'd want to either after what they did to Buffy. I mean they might technically be the good guys but they sure don't act like it"

"Tru I'm not condoning everything the council does but Buffy will have painted them in a very black way, they don't see eye to eye with her."

"They tried to kill her Davis. They are arrogant, bureaucratic…" Tru trailed off. "Oh damn it, you're a watcher aren't you?"

"Of sorts." Davis muttered.

"Geez." Tru exclaimed, annoyed for a moment at her runaway mouth. Then her face twisted into mild confusion. "Hold up, I thought all watchers were British?"

"Common misconception." Davis explained. "The council is in England, and most are English as the title stretches through the family line and many of the watchers from generations ago moved to be close to HQ, bringing their families with. I came to America when I was very young as my mother did not want me to join the council."

"So what happened? And how are you a watcher of sorts?" Tru asked and Davis sighed.

"I became a watcher despite my mother's wishes, a full one, yours in fact. The council knew you were a potential slayer though as you got older it seemed unlikely you would ever be called. Since I was in America they made me your watcher although I didn't relish the job and didn't pay it much attention. I did however have to keep track of you and so I lived near you and reported back to the council every now and then. After your mother saved my life I began to take a bit more interest and I found myself quite involved in your life. A few years ago the council decided you were very unlikely to ever become the slayer, said you were too old; slayers are rarely called after about 18. I disagreed, I thought that since there was another form of power in your blood it was more probable that you would be called. The Council didn't like my suggestion and they fired me, technically. I continued to act as your watcher from my own conscience, finding out about the possibility of your other calling at the same time. I pulled a few strings with the council and they sort of keep me up to date on big events but I'm no longer invited to the watchers' retreats. Instead I took this job and waited for our paths to cross. Now I have to assume my full role, as your watcher."

"Davis you are never going to be my watcher because I am never going to be the slayer." Tru insisted. "How can I do it? Tell me how I possibly can?"

"Tru very few Slayers' have ever welcomed their calling, it comes with great responsibility"

"and an expiration date" Tru muttered though inaudibly

"But you have it easier than some, you have met your predecessor. Most slayers do not get to do that." Tru's expression grew more exasperated.

"Davis I met her for a day and I killed her. I don't think that helps, I don't think that qualifies me to even try on her shoes, let alone stand in them and walk around in them. Buffy wasn't _a_ slayer, she was _the_ slayer. Everything I heard about her, everything I saw her do raised her above normal people. I think her murderer is about as far from her successor as anyone on Earth."

"You are not a murderer Tru. You fulfilled what fate had planned and you saved a life."

"In place of another, Davis I don't have the right to pick and choose. I have no authority to decide who lives and dies."

"And you didn't. You helped the one who asked you for it. You fulfilled another's wish. Tru as the Slayer you will see more people die, you can't feel you killed each of them because you saved others and not them. Buffy will have seen people die, she saw her sister slayer die. Faith will have seen people die, she really did kill someone." Tru interrupted.

"And she's being punished for it, but there's no punishment for me. I may as well have pushed her, the moment I tried to find Dawn Buffy's life was over." Davis reached out awkwardly you comfort Tru who was crying again but withdrew his arm stiffly as an idea came to him.

"Tru maybe you should talk to Faith, find out about all this. Ask her about the calling."

"About killing." Tru shot sulkily at him.

"No." Davis replied seriously. "About slaying, about Buffy. Maybe she can explain to you that you gave Buffy the opportunity to do what her destiny entailed, you allowed her to save her sister."

So somehow, she wasn't sure how, the next morning, after sleeping badly, Tru found herself bound for LA. Still torn up inside Tru couldn't distract herself with books or magazines on the way to the airport, all she saw on the pages was Buffy's body lying unmarked but unmoving on the rubble strewn ground. As she made her way through airport checkpoints and the crowds of people bustling around her Tru found it hard to believe that for so many people the world today was exactly the same as it had been yesterday, and the day before. The flight was worse, she kept watching the windows, waiting for electricity to light up the sky which should be dark. She prepared herself to see a dragon obscure the rising sun but there was no such scene. The sky was blue, the sun unimpaired and the plane was not called to early landing. So Tru once more descended from the plane and made her way through throngs of people. With a small hold-all over her shoulder Tru hailed a cab and sat nervously fidgeting as she sped towards the prison. At one point she saw a flash of familiar red hair and automatically turned to look but the cab was travelling too fast for her to see Willow's despairing form.

At the prison gates Tru slowly climbed out of the taxi and made her way through all the security checks. She sat, looking shiftily around her, in a small booth with a sheet of reinforced glass in front of her and a telephone set to her right. She waited no more than a few minutes before someone sat down on the other side of the glass and Tru's eyes widened at the mirror image across from her. She saw Faith's mouth form the words "Holy st" and knew that she was saying something to the same effect though she couldn't hear herself above the rushing in her ears, let alone Faith from across the glass. After what felt like eternity Tru picked up the intercom receiver and Faith did likewise. The first thing Tru heard was a sharp voice asking,

"Who are you and what the fk is gong on?" Tru took a deep breath.

"I'm Tru." She said, certain only of that. Faith let out some kind of derisive noise. "The girl called Faith thinks my name's funny." Tru commented and Faith sobered.

"Right. So _Tru _what the hell are you doing here."

"I…"Tru started then paused.

"Spit it out." Faith prompted.

"I came to ask you about being the Slayer." Tru said, looking faith squarely in the eye. She saw a flicker of worry cross them and the thought flicked past her of just how strange this must seem to Faith who knew none of the events of the last two days.

"What do you know?" Faith asked leaning forwards and whispering.

"It's a long story." Tru sighed.

"Cut it short." Faith snapped, looking intimidating even from behind a screen.

"I've been called as the slayer." Tru muttered, breaking eye contact.

"That's impossible, you can't, not unless-" Faith's eyes widened further than when she saw Tru. "No. B. No."

"Yes." Tru breathed.

"When?" faith gasped then answered her own question. "Yesterday, early morning, sun was just coming up." She seemed to go into a deep internal reflection, talking to herself. "That's what it was. The pain, oh G-d." She screwed up her face in pain and put her hand to her forehead. "I felt it, sht I felt her dying. G-d B, I'm so sorry." Suddenly she looked up. "How did it happen?"

Tru swallowed, hard. She opened her mouth to answer but no sound came out. Faith continued to stare at her with a frightening passion and something inside of Tru couldn't take it any more. "I killed her." She sobbed in a choked whisper. It's my fault, I killed her." Faith stood up, a look of intense fury on her face. "I didn't mean to though, I swear I didn't mean to." A guard shouted from a short distance away and Faith sat down again, her eyes cold and empty.

"There's no way. You couldn't kill her. She survived apocalypses, there's no way you could kill her." Absolute denial seemed to be Faith's only way of taking this news.

"It was an accident. I meant to help, I wanted to save Dawn."

"Because B couldn't? Listen up, she had her crew, her Scooby gang, trust me she didn't need an outsider interfering."

"I know." Tru whispered. "But you don't know the whole story. Dawn would have died."

"I don't give a damn who would have died," Faith yelled in a whisper. "Buffy Summers would not die at your hands, she'd go out in a fight and a damned important one at that."

"It was important." Tru protested. "It would have been the end of the world."

"No it wouldn't." Faith said shaking her head, driven beyond rationale by the ideas she was being faced by. "Buffy would have saved the world."

"No. Dawn would have saved the world, Buffy saved it this time, that's how she died. I stopped Dawn dying to save the world, I didn't know Buffy would die instead."

"People always die in battle Tru. Sometimes they are meant to."

"Dawn wasn't meant to. She wouldn't have asked for help."

"What?" Faith asked, confused.

"Nothing, just Dawn was not meant to die."

"Neither was Buffy. There was no way. The world isn't ready for her to die. She can't be dead."

"She is." Tru exclaimed, driven to exasperation. "I hate it and I wish she wasn't but she is. I saw her that day, I changed everything, I made her realise how she could save Dawn and the world, she wouldn't have done it if I hadn't gone there. It's my fault she jumped but I swear I didn't know she was going to, I swear I tied to stop her." Tru was burbling faster and faster, descending into tears as Faith's face grew stonier.

"Get out." She said in a low, dangerous voice. Tru's chest constricted, she had thought Faith, more than anyone else, might have given her a chance. "Get out." Faith repeated.

"Please," Tru begged, "Please give me a chance, I need your help.

"I'm not helping Buffy's killer."

"You're a killer too." Tru retorted then gasped, she hadn't meant to be so blunt. It seemed to shock Faith too.

"You know nothing about that. You have no idea what it's like to be a Slayer."

"That's why I'm here." Tru exclaimed with a combination of desperation and exasperation. "Tell me, I need to know."

"You don't need to know." Faith replied, ice in her eyes. "You can never be the Slayer. I crapped up, I know it and even though it barely tips the balance I'm here now. You should be here too, but you're lucky as hell you're not because you wouldn't last long. You killed the Slayer and now you have the balls to come here and ask for my help! Get the hell out of here, and stay away from me." Tru gave Faith one more look, pleading for some sympathy, some understanding but the Slayer's face was icy. Tru fought not to let a tear out as she realized that Davis was wrong. Faith had confirmed Tru's fears, she was a murderer, she had murdered Buffy Summers and she would never be the Slayer.

As Tru walked away Faith watched her with an apprehensive feeling. She had no doubt that she was right not to help the person who had supposedly killed Buffy but a strange feeling in her gut told her that there was something about Tru she hadn't let on. For an instant she considered calling after her but a guard began to lead her away. So Faith justified her actions with the anger she felt for the person she believed to have killed her sister slayer and swallowed hard to try and stop the tears that she would not shed for anyone else, but could not stop them falling for Buffy.

Tru blinked in the bright California sun and stood in the prison forecourt wondering aimlessly where to go. All she knew was she had to get away from Faith, away from Davis and most of all away from Sunnydale. So Tru headed to the airport and traded in her return ticket for a single to New York, in the Big Apple she could hide away and be no one, be unnoticed and most importantly run away from her new calling.

Please review!


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